Bastardo Pomodoro
by thenewalchemist
Summary: Lovino is a young Italian working for the handsome Spaniard, Antonio. But Lovino has a secret he's been hiding for years now, in order to protect himself from getting hurt. Spain and femRomano. Read and review, pretty please! i dont own hetalia or the characters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, new fic! Read and review please!**

The sun streamed in through the small window of the small bedroom and kissed the sleepy Italian's face. The pasta lover grumbled and rose, then walked to the dresser. The Italian winced at the tender skin that became irritated under the bandages. _I gotta stop sleeping in these damn things. _Lovino sighed. _Another day of this damn façade._ The bandages hurt, but were a necessary precaution. If Antonio found out, a number of things could happen. Some good, some bad. And some terrifying. Lovino touched the raw skin. Frowning, the Italian started removing the bandages. _Finally I can breathe. _As the bandages loosened, they revealed Lovino's secret. She examined the red area under her breasts. _Just some chaffing, nothing too bad. _

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Lovino, rise and shine sleepy head." The Spaniard stood outside his servant's door and waited for a response. Panicking, Lovino (well, really Lovina) quickly wrapped the bandages around her chest, squashing her breasts in order to hide them. "I'm coming bastard, just give me a moment, idiota ficcanaso" she muttered under her breath. Antonio chuckled. "niño tonto…" he said as he walked away.

Lovina huffed. She hated that she had to pretend to be a boy. She wished she could wear dresses and grow her hair out and have a nice, handsome boyfriend like other girls her age. No. she frowned as she got dressed. Silly girls like that were stupid and got hurt. She wasn't like them. She knew better than that. There were more important things, like her brother to worry about. She pushed the girly thoughts from her mind as she walked down the hallway. If being an awkward, pre-teen boy was what she had to do, then dammit she would do it.

She walked into the kitchen and saw Antonio leaning on the counter. He flashed a cheesy grin and wrapped an arm around her. "there's my little dormilón." Lovin couldn't help but blush as the Spaniard held her. She pushed him away and snarled. "Hands off me, strisciamento." Antonio laughed and shrugged. "I forgot, you're not the affectionate type." Lovina frowned as she picked at the bread on the table. "You forget that every day, bastardo" she grumbled and glared at him. Antonio simply walked over and mussed her hair. "I'm going to go visit Francis today. So stay out of trouble and try to get some work done, ok chico perezoso?" Lovina brushed his hand away and shrugged. "No promises, stronzo."

Antonio rolled his eyes and smirked as he headed for the door. "Adios Lovino." Lovina watched as he exited and sighed. _How much longer will I be able to keep this up? I told him I was eleven when I first started and it's been over two years now. Sure, some boys are late bloomers, but I bloomed lot as a girl…_ Lovino looked down at her chest. Her curves were setting in. He was bound to realize soon that sixteen year old girls didn't have the same body type as thirteen year old boys.

If he found out, she'd have to leave. There was no way she was sticking around if he knew. Lovina sighed and rested her chin on the table as she rolled a tomato around in her hand. She didn't want to leave. Antonio was nice to her and gave her plenty of food. She didn't have to work too hard and Antonio spoiled her. He was also strong and handsome…

Lovina picked her head up and cursed herself. _he's an idiot, idiot! Why woud you want anything to do with him? _Lovina dragged herself to the closet and pulled out a bucket and a mop. _And he thinks you're a boy. A stupid, non-female boy. _Her eyes fell as her head drooped. She leaned against the mop as her head started to ache. She ignored the pain and started to clean the floor of the main entranceway of the large manor. "Maledetto bastardo. Perchè devo sempre per pensare a lui e alla sua faccia stupida" she grumbled as she mopped. Her mind wandered as she completed her chores. Maybe she'd do something nice for him today. After all, he wasn't even mad after she broke that vase a few days back. Lovina pondered what good deed she could perform as she dusted the stairway. _Maybe I'll cook him a nice dinner…that's it! Some nice pasta! At least there's one thing I'm good at…_

Lovina smiled as she moved on to dusting the dining room. She felt good and started humming to her favorite song. As she continued to dust around the large house, her humming grew louder until she was singing.

Nel cor più non mi sento

Brillar la gioventù;

Cagion del mio tormento,

Amor, sei colpa tu.

Her sweet soprano voice rang through the house. She loved to sing, but rarely had the opportunity. If Antonio ever heard her…that could be disastrous.

Mi pizzichi, mi stuzzichi,

Mi pungichi, mi mastichi;

Che cosa è

Questo ahimè?

She wondered if he would like her singing. She hoped he would. Lovina felt sad thinking about him. A part of her wished they'd met in another way. She wished he could see her as a girl…No. As a young woman. She worked her way up the stairs as she finished her song.

Pietà, pietà, pietà!

She smiled as she reached her favorite part of the song. She couldn't help but smile as she leaned against the banister. She loved how cheesy the final words were. She put on her best damsel in distress act as she continued.

Amore è un certo che

She extended the last note of the line and let the notes flow from her mouth like all the opera singers did. Pleased with the sound, she finished her song.

Che disperar mi fa.

As soon as the last note escaped her lips she heard the door swing open and Antonio call out "Lovino I'm home!"

**Thanks for reading! Below, I'm going to list translations. The song was "****Nel cor più non mi sento"**

**I sing and I've been working on that particular song for awhile (yeah, I sing opera. Impressed? :D)**

**idiota ficcanaso: nosy idiot**

**niño tonto: silly boy**

**dormilón: sleepyhead**

**strisciamento: creep**

**chico perezoso: lazy boy**

**stronzo: asshole**

**Maledetto bastardo. Perchè devo sempre per pensare a lui e alla sua faccia stupida?: Damn Bastard. Why do I always have to think about him and his stupid face?**

**Song: ****Why feels my heart so dormant****? ****No fire of youth divine?****Thou cause of all my torment****O Love, the fault is thine!****He teases me, he pinches me. He squeezes me, he wrenches me****. ****What tortures I must bear!****Have done, Have done, Have done!****Thou, Love, art surely one****Will drive me to despair!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2, yaaaaaaay! Thanks for the kind reviews. I love encouragement, but please, please, PLEASE send suggestions! I write for you, so your input is really important to me!**

**Just so you know, in this chapter a certain female process is the center of the story for a bit. So if you're uncomfortable with this (which is completely understandable, I promise) I just wanted to give you a heads up! Thanks for reading!**

Lovina gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. That had been too close. "Lovino?" Antonio called out again.

Lovina's face turned red as she yelled back "hold your horses, tomato bastard." She rushed down stairs and saw him standing in the main entrance with an impressed smirk on his face. "Not bad, chico perezoso. You finally did as you were told." Lovina rolled her eyes and Antonio looked at her, concerned. "You okay Lovino? You're face is bright red." He placed a hand on Lovina's forehead. But she quickly stepped away and pouted. "I'm fine" she grumbled. Antonio laughed. "Careful, you look like a girl when you make that face."

Lovina turned pale and her eyes widened. She stepped away from him and looked away. The last thing she wanted was for him to further inspect her face. Antonio saw her pull back and stepped closer. "I'm sorry Lovino, that was rude…" he trailed off as she turned away. "N-no, its fine…" normally she would have thrown an insult back at him, but now she just wanted to get away.

"Lovino, I did not mean it." Antonio placed a hand on Lovina's shoulder. He smiled at his servant. "I'm sure you will grow up to be a very handsome young man."

His last statement pierced her heart like a knife. She wanted to cry. But she couldn't right now…not in front of him… "I'm going to go upstairs for awhile." She scurried off, leaving Antonio behind, puzzled.

She ran upstairs and quickly shut the door behind her. The leaned her back against the door and slumped down onto the floor.

She rested her head onto her hands and exhaled. She decided that she hated being a boy. After sitting for awhile, she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. She quickly stood up, but panicked, not knowing how to look normal. She decided to settle with sitting at her desk. Lovino quickly pulled out a piece of paper and tried to make herself look busy. She heard the door slowly creak open.

Antonio walked in with his hands in his pockets. "What do you want, bastardo?" she asked bitterly. Antonio sighed and sat on Lovina's bed. She turned around and glared at him. "Did I give you permission, stronzo?" Antonio chuckled and looked at Lovina. She didn't like how long he looked at her. He finally looked away and spoke. "Lovino, if I hurt your feelings, I really didn't mean to." She looked away from him and down at the desk. "I don't care anymore, geez…" Antonio frowned and stood up.

"But it's obvious you do. Look, if you want-" Lovina cut him off before he could continue. "Antonio, please, I don't want to stay on this topic any longer." Antonio stopped and stared at the back of her head. He offered her a small smile. "Alright. I made pasta for dinner, just the way you like it." Lovina sighed. I'm not hungry bastardo." Antonio scratched the back of his head, confused. He finally headed towards the door. "Buenos noches Lovino" Antonio left the room concerned about his servant.

After he left, Lovina crawled into her bed. As she placed her head on her pillow she whispered "Buenanotte."

The next morning, Lovina woke with a pain in her abdomen. She groaned as she sat up. _I feel terrible. _She suddenly froze, recognizing the pain. She ripped the sheets off her body and saw the red. She smacked her forehead to her palm and began rambling in Italian. "Mio Dio! come ho potuto permettere che questo accada?! Sono un idiota, io sono di solito più attento di questo. Ora devo pulire questo casino! Dannazione!" As she went on, she heard footsteps running down the hall. Antonio knocked quickly on the door. "Lovino, is everything alright?! I heard yelling." Lovina quickly put the sheets back over her legs and did her best to cover up the huge red spot on the bed and her night clothes. "Everything is fine, bastardo, go away." But she didn't hear him walk away. "Lovino you better not be lying to me. What's going on?!" Lovina panicked as she heard him reach for the door knob. "NO DON'T COME IN HERE!" Lovina desperately rearranged the covers the best she could. She heard him speak again from outside the door.

"That's it, I'm coming in." Antonio burst through the door and walked over to the bed. Lovina planted herself over the stain to try to hide it. "Alright, why were you making that raquet? I may not be fluent in Italian, but I know when someone is upset. What happened?"

Lovina searched for an excuse. "I was…having a bad dream! And I scared myself. That's why I woke up upset…" Antonio eyed her suspiciously. "Is that all?" she nodded quickly. He started to bend down closer. "Do you want to talk about it?" Lovina shook her head. "Just go away so I can get changed Bastardo." Antonio shook his head as he left. "Fine, extraño muchacho."

Lovina got up and removed her soiled clothes. She wrapped herself just like Miss Elizaveta had taught her. As she rolled up the sheets and hid them, she thought it would be a good time to visit Elizaveta and Feli soon. Surely Antonio would let her. He was so good to her, so she knew if she asked, he would oblige.

After she had concealed her mess, she headed down the stairs. She headed into the kitchen and saw Antonio, sitting where he did every morning. He gave her a small smile as she sat down. She looked down at her hands while she spoke. "Hey bastardo..I've been thinking…" her voice softened as she looked at him. "I'd like to see my brother again… per favore…" Antonio smiled at Lovina and placed his hand over hers. "Of course mi amigo. You can go with me to Mr. Roderich's house tomorrow." Lovina pulled her hand away from his and blushed. "…Grazie…" Antonio smiled and stood up. "De nada. I must go now. You can have the day off Lovino. Adios!"

Lovina watched him leaved and grinned. He really was such a nice man. Today, she really was going to do something nice for him.

**Poor Lovina! The struggles of being a woman…**

**Translations-**

**Buenos noches/Buenanotte: goodnight**

**Mio Dio! come ho potuto permettere che questo accada?! Sono un idiota, io sono di solito più attento di questo. Ora devo pulire questo casino! Dannazione!:My God! how could I have let this happen?! I'm an idiot, I'm usually more careful than that. Now I have to clean up this mess! God damnit!**

**extraño muchacho: strange boy**

**Until next time kiddies!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Time for chapter 3! Remember to review! Thanks for reading!**

Lovino walked outside. It was a beautiful day and she loved being out in the garden. She sat on the bench and tried to decide what to do for Antonio. She looked over at the perfectly ripe tomatoes growing. She smiled and ran inside to grab a basket.

She returned to the garden and began picking the tomatoes off the vine. _I'll make him a nice marinara sauce. Or how about some bruschetta? Yes, perfect for a sunny day. I'll put in some basil, and garlic, and olive oil…_

The Italian continued to pick the tomatoes until her basket was full. She started to head inside and chuckled. "He really is a tomato bastard…" Antonio's tomatoes were his pride and joy. Even Lovina had to admit they were the best she's ever eaten. When she got inside it was already noon. She decided to take a quick nap before he came home. She headed upstairs and entered her room. She felt tired and her head ached. _I really hate being a girl_ Lovina thought as she flopped onto the bed. She fell asleep the instant her head hit the pillow.

Lovina awoke to the sound of the front door crashing open. She quickly sat up, alarmed and still half-asleep. She looked out the window and saw that it was pouring. She then heard Antonio yelling. "Lovino! I could really use some help right about now…" Lovina jumped out of bed and headed downstairs. _He sounds like he's in pain…_

And he was. He was holding his head and was soaking wet. His right sleeve was covered in blood and the rest of his shirt was completely muddy. She gasped and flew down the stairs. "Idiota, what the hell did you do?" Antonio gave her a weak smile and stepped forward. But he could barely keep himself from falling. Lovina rushed over and put his arm around her shoulders. "Please Lovino, take me upstairs."

Lovina stared at him as he groaned in pain. "Si…" she said as she started dragging him up the stairs. Unfortunately, he was much taller than her and she wasn't all that strong. She could tell it hurt him to move, but he encouraged her to continue. And if that wasn't challenging enough, Antonio's hand was lingering near her chest. She could feel his hand graze her flattened breast as he swayed.

She knew he wasn't doing anything intentionally, but it was still distracting nonetheless. When they finally reached his bedroom, Lovina let the Spaniard sink onto his bed. "Lovino, go get me some bandages, warm water, and something to clean my wound with." Lovina nodded and scurried out of the room.

She headed towards his bathroom and gathered what she needed. _That idiot just had to go and get himself hurt. Stupid bastard…_ Lovina walked back into Antonio's bedroom and nearly dropped everything she was holding.

He had removed his shirt and was sitting on the bed, rubbing his forehead. Lovina stared at his muscular arms and toned body. His hair was still wet and plastered to his face. Antonio looked up at her and rolled his eyes. "C'mon chico, what are you waiting for? Bring everything here." She nodded and rushed to his side. She placed the small tub of warm water on the floor beside his feet and handed him the bandages and a rag she grabbed to clean any wounds.

He took the rag and dipped it in water. Lovina finally got a good look at the huge gash in his arm. It was caked in dirt and blood. Antonio sloppily placed the rag on his arm and winced. Lovina sighed and took the rag from his hand. "Enough, idiota. You'll just make it worse." Antonio smirked and let Lovina clean his wound.

Lovina tried not to let her eyes linger on Antonio's muscular torso as she dabbed at the large cut. "So are you going to tell me what happened, bastardo?" Antonio chuckled as Lovina glared at him. "I was riding home and something spooked my horse. She knocked me back into a ditch and ran. My arm got sliced by a big rock. And I think I hit my head…" Lovina rolled her eyes. "I didn't think you get ever get anymore brain damage, imbecile." Antonio smiled as she began wrapping the cut. "Anyways, I lost my horse so I had to walk home. And then it started raining."

Lovina stood and moved the tub out of the way. "Put some dry clothes on and get into bed, unless you want the die of pneumonia or something. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." Antonio grinned as Lovina exited the room. "Careful chico, or I might start thinking you care." Antonio barely heard Lovina say "I do care, bastardo" before she slammed the door behind her.

"Bastardo goffo, che cosa succede se qualcosa di terribile fosse successo a te ..." she huffed as she went downstairs. She went into the kitchen and started heating up some broth. The tomatoes she picked earlier caught her eye. She chopped them up and but some bread in the oven to make it nice and warm. She mixed the diced tomatoes with basil, olive oil, and garlic like she had planned to before. Once the broth and bread were heated up, she put everything on a tray and headed back upstairs.

**Yay for hot Antonio! Sned me reviews and suggestions!**

**Translations:**

**Bastardo goffo, che cosa succede se qualcosa di terribile fosse successo a te...: Clumsy bastard, what if something terrible had happened to you...**

**Until next time kiddies!**


	4. Chapter 4

Lovina pushed the door open and entered Antonio's room. She was glad to see him lying in his bed like she told him to. He smiled as she walked in and pace the tray on the nightstand next to his bed. She grabbed a chair and sat next to him. Lovina tentatively pushed his hair back and placed a hand on his forehead. "Gesù, si sta bruciando ." He clearly had a fever. "Aren't you just adorable, my own little enfermero." Lovina frowned and shoved a spoonful of broth into his mouth. "Just shut up and eat, bastardo." Antonio nodded and swallowed.

She continued to feed him until the bowl was empty. He grinned like a fool and sat straight up. "Muchas gracias Lovino!" Lovina looked at the plate of bruschetta and blushed. "Listen…bastardo…I made you something else…" She looked away as Antonio eyed the tomato topped bread. She could hear him chuckling and frowned, embarrassed.

Suddenly, she felt his fingers lift her chin up. She looked him in the eyes as he smiled. "You're the best, you know that Lovino?"She couldn't help but smile as he devoured the rest of his dinner. She piled the dishes back onto the tray and stood. "I'll check on you in a little while." She left the room while he began to lay his head back on the pillow.

Lovina took the tray downstairs and placed it in the sink. She made a small dinner for herself and ate quietly in the kitchen. She hoped Antonio would get better soon and that she was doing everything right. She hadn't had to help many sick people before. She was just doing what made the most sense to her. She sighed as she finished up her meal. _Stupid bastard…_ she thought as she headed back upstairs.

Lovina knocked lightly on Antonio's door, but there was no response. She slowly peered in and giggled at what she saw. He was fast asleep, sprawled all across the bed. The sheets were in a messy clump across his legs. She noticed that he still had no shirt on and rolled her eyes.

She crept forward, amused at how silly he looked. Antonio's mouth was wide open and he was snoring. Before she had even realized it, she was right next to his bed, leaning over him. "Antonio…" she whispered. He responded with a loud snore. Lovina swept his hair out of his face as she watched him sleep. She smiled and sat down closer to him. "Uomo stolto" she said softly as she placed a hand on his forehead. _Still warm…hopefully some rest will help bring down the fever._

Even in his sleep, Antonio was smiling. His breathing was slow and steady and Lovina watched his chest rise and fall with each breath. Her fingers grazed his cheek as he snored happily. She slowly rearranged the covers, trying not to wake him. Before she left, she pressed her lips to his forehead. She exited with a small smile on her lips, swearing his grin had widened.

The next morning, Lovina woke up with a terrible pain in the pit of her stomach. Of course, she knew her stomach wasn't the source of the pain. "Stupid mother nature" she mumbled as she got out of bed. After she had gotten dressed and ready for the day, she headed for Antonio's room. _Hopefully the fever's gone down. I should probably take a look at his arm too…_

When Lovina walked in, she wanted to scream. He wasn't there. She ran out and yelled "ANTONIO!" She flew down the stairs and looked for him. She finally found him in the kitchen and narrowed her eyes as she approached him. "Idiota, what do you think you're doing? Vuoi darmi un attacco di cuore?" Antonio walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Lovino, Lovino, Lovino. Calm down. I'm fine. ¡No hay que preocuparse!" Lovina frowned and punshed his injured arm.

He winced and stepped back. "Hey! What was that for!" Lovina grabbed his arm and tried to drag him toward the stairs. "Because, bastardo, you should be in bed." He pulled his arm away from her and started to walk away. "I'm fine, geez. I'll go back to bed, will that make you happy?"She followed him up the stairs.

"Hold on stronzo, you need to let me look at your arm…" "And let you punch me again, I don't think so." Antonio sat on his bed while Lovina looked down guiltily. "I…I'm sorry. Here, let me make it up to you. I'll go to Mr. Roderich's for you. I promise, I can make sure he gets any information you-" Antonio quickly stood up. "Absolutely not!"

Lovina stared at him confused. "I don't understand, why not?" Antonio ran his hand through his hair. "I don't want you going alone. It's not safe…" Lovina narrowed her eyes. "I've gone alone before, I don't see why-"

"Because I said so Lovino, now do as you're told. Stay here, and we'll go tomorrow." Antonio was tense, and Lovina didn't understand what was going on. Antonio led her to the door. "Don't worry about me, okay. Just stay put, I mean it."

"But wait…I…" but Antonio closed the door before she could finish. Lovina slumped her shoulders, defeated. "I just want to help…perché non vuoi che mi prenda cura di te?" Lovina rushed downstairs and grabbed her hat and coat. She walked outside and headed for Roderich's house. She was going to prove to Antonio she could do something right.

**Dammit Lovina, what are you doing?! Ah well…CLIFFHANGER! Remember to review!**

**Translations:**

**Gesù, si sta bruciando: Jesus, you're burning up**

**Enfermero: Nurse (male)**

**Uomo stolto: Silly man**

**Vuoi darmi un attacco di cuore?: Do you want to give me a heart attack?**

**No hay que preocuparse: Don't worry!**

**perché non vuoi che mi prenda cura di te?: why won't you let me take care of you?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay, new chapter! Silly Lovina, disobeying orders will get you nowhere…**

**Remember to review and send suggestions!**

Lovina hurried down the road to Mr. Roderich's house. When she arrived at the front door, she smoothed down her shirt and tried to make herself look presentable. She knocked on the door, and a few seconds later, a young man popped his head out the door.

Lovina looked up at him. "…Feli?" Her brother smiled and hugged her. "Sorella, it's so good to see you!" she shushed him as he bounced up and down. "Not so loud! I am your _fratello, _not your sorella, remember?" he nodded his head. "Right!come inside Lovi!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her in. She stared at her brother. He had gotten bigger since the last time she saw him. Sometimes she forgot he was only a year younger than her. Most likely because his maturity level was equivalent to that of a six year old.

Roderich came down the stairs after hearing the reunion. "Feliciano, what is going on?" "It's my so-Fratello! Lovi's here!" Roderich raised an eyebrow as he approached Lovina. She stared back nervously as he looked her up and down. "And what brings you here today, child?"

Lovina stood tall and cleared her throat. "I regret to inform you that Mr. Antonio is unable to join you today, due to a mishap yesterday. I am more than willing deliver anything back to him that might compensate for his absence." Lovina beamed, satisfied with her answer. Roderich gave her a small smile. "Well, that's very kind of you. Is there anything else?" Lovina lost a bit of her confidence and began to look away. "Well, you see sir…I was hoping to maybe spend some time with my brother…" Feliciano put an arm around his sister.

"You came all the way over here for me, Lovi?" Lovina rolled her eyes and removed his arm. "Don't get too cocky, Feli. You're not the only reason I came here." Feliciano's smile faltered a bit, but when he saw the hint of red spreading across his sister's cheeks, he knew she had wanted to see him. Roderich chuckled and crossed his arms. "I suppose you can stay for awhile. But please try to stay out of trouble." With that, he walked into the music room, ready to play the piano for the rest of the day.

Feliciano immediately showered her with questions. "How have you been", "How's your boss", "How's the food", etc. at first, Lovina answered patiently. But soon, her brother's questions became tiresome. She let him go on until she finally interrupted him in the middle of his story about how he got his arm stuck on something or another.

"Feli, do you think you could take me to see Elizaveta?" Feliciano smiled and dragged her upstairs. "Of course! I'm sure Miss Elizaveta will be happy to see you!" He knocked on one of the doors and entered after hearing a soft "come in". Elizaveta's eyes lit up when she saw the girl. She immediately stood up and hugged Lovina.

"Lovi, it's been so long! What are you doing here?" Lovina shrugged the woman off of her and blushed. "I wanted to talk to you about some things…" Elizaveta nodded. "Of course. Feli, do you think you could give us some privacy for awhile?" Feliciano's head drooped. Lovina rolled her eyes at her over-dramatic brother. "I promise we can talk more in a little while, ok?" Feliciano lit back up. "Ve!" he exclaimed before leaving the room.

Elizaveta turned her attention back toward Lovina. "Why don't we sit down" she suggested as she walked toward her bed. Lovina sat beside her and pulled her knees to her chest.

"So what seems to be the problem?" Lovina groaned. "They just keep growing! I don't understand!" Elizaveta lightly chuckled. "Very few girls your age would complain about that." Lovina rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well a large chest isn't easy to hide…" Elizaveta looked at her sympathetically. "Well there's nothing I can do to help that. Anything else you need help with?"

Lovina started blushing and tracing circles on the comforter. "The bleeding…it's gotten worse. It's heavier now, and it also hurts more." Elizaveta ran her fingers through Lovina's hair. "Poor girl. Wait here, I'll be right back." Elizaveta went off into the bathroom. She came back with a small bottle. "These should help with the pain. Unfortunately, you really can't control the flow. But this should make you more comfortable." She handed Lovina the bottle. "Are you sure, won't you need them?"

Elizaveta sat next to her and smiled. "You need them more than I do. Plus, I have and extra bottle. So I'll be fine." Lovina took the pills and nodded. "Grazie…"

"Szívesen" Elizaveta responded. "Do you need anything else?" Lovina pulled her knees even closer to her chest as she pondered her next words. "Eizaveta…can I ask you something?" Elizaveta placed her hand on Lovina's back. "Anything."

Lovina stared at the floor. "Mister Roderich…he's nice…right?" Elizaveta looked at Lovina, puzzled. "Yes, he's very kind…" she said, waiting for the girl to continue. "A-and he treats you nice and forgives you if you make mistakes and he's also handsome too…right?" Elizaveta blushed slightly, not knowing how to respond.

"Lovi, I'm not quite sure what you're getting at…" Lovina's race reddened and her eyes furrowed. "Do you ever wish you could be…more?"

"…More what?"

Lovina lifted her hands in front of her and nearly shouted out of frustration. "More than just his damn servant!" Elizaveta's eyes widened as she realized what was going on. She started to rub Lovina's back to comfort her. "Oh Lovi…my poor girl."

Lovina covered her face with her hands. "I hate this so much!" She felt the tears soak her hands. "And he thinks I'm some awkward boy…I don't know what to do…" Elizaveta pulled Lovina close to her and comforted the heartbroken girl.

"Oh Lovi, I know it hurts. Antonio is a good man, you don't have to be afraid of him. I know he cares about you. If you tell him the truth, he'll understand." Lovina tried to stop her tears, but it was too late.

"I can't…I couldn't face him, I'm too scared…" Elizaveta sighed. "You'll know when the time is right Lovi."

The two were interrupted by a loud crash from downstairs, followed by an angry voice

"LOVINO!"

**Oh no! what will happen next! Thanks for reading! Until next time kiddies…**

**Translations:**

**Sorella: sister**

**Fratello: Brother **

**Szívesen: you're welcome**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! Yay for new chapter! Remember to read and review! Also send suggestions. I CRAVE YOUR OPINIONS AND IDEAS. Enjoy!**

Lovina froze when she heard him call her name. "Merda!" She stood up and paced around nervously. "Merda, Merda, MERDA! He was supposed to be in bed! Mio Dio, he's going to kill me…" Elizaveta's eyes widened as she tried to calm the girl down. "Are you not supposed to be here?" Lovina shook her head guiltily. Feliciano popped his head in with a worried expression. "Lovi, you're boss is here..and he doesn't look very happy…"

They heard him yell again. "Oh god, Lovino, please tell me you're here…" He didn't sound angry this time. He sounded…scared. Lovina gave Elizaveta a puzzled look. Elizaveta rested her hands on Lovina's shoulders and sighed. "You made him worry so much. I told you he cares."

Downstairs, Antonio was panicking. What if something had happened to him?! Roderich burst out of the music room and glared at Antonio. "What on earth are you doing here, and why are you screaming like a madman?" Antonio grabbed Roderich by the shirt. "Please, is Lovino here?"

Lovina was standing at the top of the staircase when she cleared her throat. Both men looked up and she waved nervously. "H-hey Antonio…so you decided to visit Roderich after all…" Antonio released the Austrian and narrowed his eyes as he walked up the staircase.

"Don't play cute with me Lovino. What did I say?! I told you to stay home, and you disobeyed me! What were you thinking, huh? That you could waltz around and do whatever you wanted?!" He had reached her now and his face was only inches from hers. Roderich stared at the two, shocked.

Lovino tried to avoid eye contact. "Yeah…well…you're supposed to be in bed!" Antonio grabbed her by the arm and started to pull her downstairs. "Unlike you, I'm not obligated to follow orders." His grip on her tightened. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Lovina could see red splotches on her his arm. She tugged on his sleeve. "Antonio, wait you're bleeding again." He ignored her and approached Roderich. "I am so sorry amigo; I hoped we have not caused too much trouble." Roderich shook his head and smirked. "No, but you certainly livened up my day." Antonio looked back down at his servant.

"Say goodbye to your hermano Lovino." Lovina frowned. "I know I was wrong, but you are here now, so if there's something you need to get done, please go ahead. I can wait." Antonio's eyes softened as he bent down closer to her. "Lovino, I need to get you home as soon as possible. I just want you to be safe. I was so afraid…I thought something had happened to you. So please, let's leave before it gets dark." Lovina's eyes widened as he spoke to her. She nodded, and her brother slowly crept toward her, keeping an eye on the Spaniard. Lovina hugged her brother.

"Until next time, fratello." Feliciano held her tight. "Bye Lovi!" He wailed. Lovina rolled her eyes and pulled away. "Don't be such a fifone.." Feliciano smiled as he wiped his eyes. "Right… scusa. I'll see you soon, sì?" Lovina smiled at her brother and nodded. "Sì."

Antonio and Lovina walked out of the house silently. They headed over to the stable where he left his horse. Lovina couldn't tell what he was thinking, and that frustrated her to no end. She finally spoke up. "Antonio…I'm sorry…" Antonio sighed as he mounted the horse. "We'll talk about this more when we get home." He extended his arm out to help her on. She tried not to look at Antonio as he pulled her up and set her in front of him.

Lovina thanked god he was behind her so he couldn't see how red her face was. She was practically sitting on his lap as one of his arms wrapped around her waist and held her steady while they pushed on. She could feel his heart racing against her back. He was so warm, and Lovina flinched every time he bumped against her.

They were about halfway there when they saw a man wielding a sword sitting on a horse in the middle of the road. He was smirking and wearing a mask. Antonio brought the horse to a stop and narrowed his eyes. "Maldita sea" Antonio muttered as he pulled out his own sword.. The strange man laughed and charged at them. He swiped but missed as Antonio steered the horse around the attacker. Lovina felt him hop off.

"Lovino, go back to the house right now. I want you to keep going and don't look back" Antonio ordered without turning around. Lovina frowned as her eyes filled with concern. "But what about-"

"¡Vete!" he yelled back at her. Lovina sped off. She had only been riding a couple seconds before she stopped. She quickly rummaged through the saddle bag. "Come on bastardo, tell me you've got something good in here…" She pulled out a dagger and decided she'd make do. Lovina turned the horse around and headed back for Antonio.

He was holding up against the attacker, but was clearly at a disadvantage. He jumped an dodged a swing for the third time when he heard Lovina galloping back. "Lovino, get out of here right now!" The masked man sneered and headed toward Lovina. He swung at her. She barely made it past him without losing her head. But she managed to plant the dagger in his arm, making the man cry out in pain.

Lovina headed straight for Antonio. "Dai! Hurry!" she cried as he got back on the horse. He took the reins from her and headed home. Neither of them said a word all the way back.

**Shit just got real. Wonder what will happen next…stay tuned kiddies…**

**Translations:**

**Merda: shit (teehee)**

**Fifone: wuss**

**Scusa: sorry**

**Maldita sea: Damn it**

**¡Vete!: Leave!**

**Dai!: Come on!**


	7. Chapter 7

**And the plot thickens…remember to read and review/suggest stuff! Thanks for all your support and encouraging words! They really mean a lot to me! Enjoy!**

**P.S. the last chapter was exactly 1,000 words…how awesome is that?**

Antonio and Lovina soon made it back, and all in one piece. Lovina grew increasingly worried as Antonio's silence continued. They both got off the horse right before the sun began to set. But they just stood there for a moment. Antonio was trying to gather his thoughts and Lovina had no idea what to do. She stepped closer to him and tentatively spoke. "Antonio…"

"Go to your room Lovino." Lovina didn't move. He turned to her with an angry expression. "Now!" he barked. Lovina jumped back a bit the scurried inside. She hurried to her room and slammed the door. "Dannazione" she whimpered as she lay in her bed.

About a half an hour later, there was a knock on her door. "Come in" she said softly. Antonio opened the door and stepped in. He stood there for what felt like an eternity. She couldn't see his face, but she could tell his fists were clenched. His voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Lovino. When I tell you to stay, you stay. When I tell you to run, you run." He lifted his head and stared at her. Lovina gasped when she saw his eyes. They were red and puffy. He had been crying. Antonio was nearly shaking. Lovina had never seen him this angry or upset before. She didn't think even think it was possible.

Antonio slowly approached her then grabbed her by the shoulders. "And if I tell you to leave me behind…" He was nearly screaming now, and shaking her in his grip. "Then you damn well better leave me behind! Understand?!"

Lovina felt like she couldn't breathe. Angry tears began to form as she glared at him. "Bastardo!" she yelled. Antonio's eyes widened in confusion. She let tears stream down her face as she screamed.

"What kind of person do you think I am?! You think I could've just left you behind?! What if you had been hurt again, or killed? What would I do then?! I can't lose you!" Lovina covered her mouth with her hand, surprised by her own words. Antonio was just as shocked. His grip loosened as he stared at her.

He pulled her to his chest and hugged her. Normally, she hated hugging. But this time, she didn't push him away. "Lovino, why can't you just do as you're told…" Antonio whispered as he held her.

Lovina was consumed by guilt when she realized how she had hurt him. She pushed closer and softly said "Mi dispiace tanto" over and over again. Antonio shushed her and released her. He looked her in the eye and smiled lightly. "What's done is done. We both could've done more to avoid something like this." Lovina sniffled and nodded.

Antonio lightly kissed the top of her head. "You need to sleep" he murmured softly before rising. Lovina watched him stand, wishing he would stay with her.

"Will you be alright, Lovino?" Lovina slowly nodded her head as she crawled under her sheets. He left the room without another word. Lovina quickly drifted off to sleep.

Antonio however, was kept awake by a nagging feeling inside him. _There's something not right with Lovino…but I can't put my finger on it…_Antonio tried to shrug it off, but the feeling lingered as he slowly fell asleep.

The next morning, Antonio woke up early. Not wanting to wake his servant up, he quietly crept downstairs after clumsily and quite sloppily replacing the bandages on his injured arm. He wasn't hungry, but he knew he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. So he decided, much to his dismay, to sit on the couch and read. Thankfully, he was saved from his boredom by a knock on the door.

Antonio rose and opened the door. He was greeted by a handsome blonde-haired man. "Bonjour Antonio!"

Antonio smiled. "Buenos días Francis. Please, come in." "Merci" Francis said as he walked in.

"So what brings you here today?" Antonio asked curiously.

"Well, a little birdie told me you were attacked yesterday. What the hell is up with that?"

Antonio ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, and Lovino was with me. I'd probably be dead if he wasn't there." Antonio didn't mention the fact that Lovina was the reason they were there in the first place.

"That cute little boy of yours? What a brave little lutteur." Francis smirked as he walked around. "Where is this little champion of yours?"

Antonio chuckled. "Sleeping. But do you think you can do me a favor? I need to get some things in town, but Lovino probably won't be letting me leave the house if I'm even remotely war. Do you think you could go for me?"

Francis smiled. "But of course, mon ami." Antonio rubbed his chin. "You know, Lovino should really get out of the house. Away from me, I mean. I only make him worry these days. Would you mind taking him with you?"

"Not at all" Francis responded. Antonio grinned." ¡Magnífico! I should probably go wake the little guy up…" Francis stopped him before he could continue.

"You should relax. Go sit down, and I'll fetch the kid." Antonio did as he was told. "His room is the second door on the left. Gracias!"

"De rien!" Francis responded as bounded up the stairs. Francis burst into Lovina's room. "Time for a field trip Lo-"

Francis's jaw dropped. He stared at Lovina, unable to process what he saw. He hadn't seen everything, but he had seen enough. Lovina was in the middle of rewrapping her chest when Francis walked in.

**SHIT GOT REAL. AGAIN. Sorry bout the cliffhanger. Just kidding I'm not sorry. Stay tuned kiddies…**

**Translations: **

**Dannazione: Damn it**

**Mi dispiace tanto: I'm so sorry**

**Lutteur: Fighter**

**Mon ami: My friend**

**De rien: You're welcome**


	8. Chapter 8

**New chapter, yay! I found it quite amusing how you suggested I change the rating. You all were like "So when they do it…" as if it's inevitable. And maybe it is. But until then HOLD YOUR HORSES IN DUE TIME KIDDIES. Oh and zoewinter1, I like the drunk-Antonio idea…I'll definitely keep that in mind…**

**Remember to review, I love your input! Enjoy!**

Lovina froze while Francis looked at her. "I-I don't understand…" Lovina snarled at him. "Look away, pervertito!" Francis stepped back and averted his eyes. "I was supposed to come wake you up" he said nervously.

Lovina panicked and yelled at him. "Get out, ora!" Francis hurried out and went back downstairs, pale as a sheet. Antonio saw him and laughed. "He give you a hard time? He gets like that when you wake him up early." Francis just nodded. _He? Him? So Antonio doesn't know…_

Lovina soon came down the stairs, now fully dressed. Francis stared at her and she glare back. Antonio noticed the tension and approached Lovino, smirking. "Now I know you like to sleep, but there's no reason to be so rude, Lovino." Lovina looked up at Antonio and placed her hand on his forehead. "Still warm," she muttered. "You should go back upstairs." Francis couldn't help but watch as the girl interacted with his friend. The way she looked at him, how delicately she touched him…

Antonio rolled his eyes and faced Francis. "See, I told you. So you'll take him?" Lovina's eyes widened. She grabbed Antonio's arm. "Take me? Take me where?" He saw the panic in her eyes and smiled. "Calm down Lovino, you're just going to go with him into town and pick up a few things. It's mainly just some groceries. Here's a list."

Lovina's heart raced. _I can't be anywhere near him now that he knows…_ Francis laughed nervously as he walked toward Lovina. "Oui, so let's go Lovi." He gently grabbed her arm and started pulling her toward the door. Antonio followed, smiling.

"You two have fun!" he called as they walked down the road. Francis remained silent, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Lovina stared at the ground, dreading the conversation she knew she was about to have. Francis sighed, breaking the silence. "So…you're a girl…well, a woman, more like it…"

Lovina stopped walking and kept her eyes on the ground. Francis turned around waiting for her response. "Please," she begged. "You can't tell him." She slowly walked toward Francis, still unable to look at him. He could tell she was fighting back tears. She tentatively reached out and held his hand in hers.

"Please…" she finally looked up at him. But she wasn't crying. Francis saw strength in her eyes, and determination. They caught him off guard. "Francis, I…I'll do anything…" her voice trailed off as he cupped her jaw in his other hand. "Mon ami, that is not necessary. Your secret is safe with me. Shall we continue?" Lovina smiled and nodded. "Yes…grazie." Francis smirked as they continued walking.

"I do have one condition though; you have to tell me why."Lovina sighed looked away. "Look, you wouldn't understand."

"I never said I would. I just want to know. Let me see…is it because you like the ladies?" Francis winked at her. It took every ounce of Lovina's self control not to punch him in the gut as her face turned bright red.

"N-no! I like men!" Somehow, Lovina didn't think her answer made her feel any less embarrassed. Francis chuckled and watched her from the corner of his eye. "One man in particular?"

"W-What?! No, I-I…" Lovina glared at him. "What does it matter to you anyway?!" Francis shook his head and smiled. "Ah, mon petit ange, you've got it bad. No woman looks at a man that way unless she truly cares about him."

Lovina crossed her arms and pouted. "I don't know what you're talking about, damn ranocchio…"

Francis looked at her and giggled. "Aw, you are so cute when you are sexually frustrated." Lovina's eyes widened in shock. "I am not 'sexually frustrated'" she stammered. The two were fast approaching the shopping area of the small town, and Lovina did not want to have this conversation there.

"Antonio is a good man. I'm sure he'll look after you if you tell him the truth. And who knows," he said with a smirk. "Maybe he'll relieve you of your frustrations." Before she could say anything, Francis picked up his speed and hurried into the crowd, knowing she wouldn't continue in public. And she didn't.

Instead, she pulled out Antonio's list and tried to focus on that. The first items were easy to get; some bread, some wine, cheese, and eggs. Next they headed for the tailor's shop. They entered Feliks's store, which was filled with every type of clothing imaginable. Lovina was so busy looking around, she didn't even notice when Francis swiped the list from her and headed to the counter.

Lovina couldn't take her eyes off of one dress. It was a beautiful maroon dress with bronze colored accents. The sweetheart neckline plunged ever so slightly and the sleeves fell of the mannequin's shoulders perfectly. The bronze trim was completed with a bronze sash around the waist.

Francis placed a hand on her shoulder as she eyed the gown. "You like this one?" Lovina nodded her head slowly as Francis smiled.

"Feliks, can we see this one?" A man with green eyes hurried over. "Yes, I suppose" he said, giving the pair a quizzical stare **(That rhymes!)**. he slipped the dress of the mannequin and handed it to Francis. Francis thanked him and gave it to Lovina. "Go try this on."

Before she could protest, Francis shoved her into a changing room. She sighed and began undressing. _Better get this over with…_

Francis waited patiently outside the changing room. He watched as Lovina slowly stepped out. "Well…?" she asked hesitantly. Feliks looked over and gaped at the girl in front of him. "Oh…" he said as he wandered over. Francis just smiled as Feliks examined the garment.

Feliks looked her over and grinned. "It's perfect on you" he said as he turned her around. Francis noticed how low the back of the dress dipped and raised an eyebrow. "R-really?" she asked. Lovina had never wore pretty dresses or felt dressed up before. She looked to Francis for guidance. He simply smirked.

"If you wear that for Antonio, it won't stay on for very long, ma dame douce." Lovina blushed fervently. "Francis!" she scolded. Feliks chuckled. "He's right," he agreed. Lovina stormed into the dressing room. "I'm taking this thing off if all you're going to do is make fun of me." She quickly changed, stepped out, and shoved the dress into Francis's arms. "Here" she huffed. Francis smirked and walked to the counter.

"Perfect. Feliks, ring this up for me, please." Feliks began putting the dress in the box as Lovina rushed over. "Francis, I can't afford this" she said nervously. Francis smiled and pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"It's a gift. Now let's hurry home before your beloved Spaniard starts to worry."

**Yay for Francy-pants being sexual! But wasn't this cute?! Oh and sorry about my interjection about the rhyme…I had to…until next time kiddies!**

**Translations:**

**Pervertito: pervert**

**Ora: now**

**Mon ami: my friend**

**Mon petit ange: my little angel**

**Ranocchio: frog**

**Ma dame douce: my sweet lady**


	9. Chapter 9

**New chapter! hoorah! I'm really happy you guys like how France turned out. He's definitely the fangirl/shipper of the story haha. Remember to review! you know I love hearing from you! ENJOY!**

Lovina smiled the whole way back. She held her dress and Francis carried Antonio's things. "So when will you put that pretty garment on for Antonio." Lovina's smile faltered a bit. "Francis, just because I'm a girl, that doesn't mean he'll be throwing himself at me. He does have standards after all…"

Francis groaned. "That kind of thinking will get you nowhere mon petite ange. He adores you as a boy." Francis smirked and bumped her shoulder. "I'm sure once he knows you have the right parts; nothing will stop him from wanting to make his fit with yours, oui?"

Lovina shoved him away and crinkled her nose. "That's disgusting!"she scolded. He laughed and started running ahead of her. "You better hurry up before I tell your sweet Spaniard how much I made you blush." Lovina frowned and started running toward him. "Dammit, ranocchio!"

The two ran the rest of the way and were panting heavily when they entered the house. Just then, Antonio walked out from the kitchen, stuffing his face with a tomato. Lovina crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't you be in bed bastardo?"

"I was hungry," Antonio said with his mouth still full. He walked over and held her hand up to his forehead. "And I feel much better. So you can relax Lovino." Lovina sighed and moved her hand away. She felt Francis nudge her from behind. She glared at him.

Antonio saw the package in her hands. "What have you got there, Lovino?" he asked after swallowing. Francis wrapped an arm around Lovina and smirked. "Why don't you show him Lovi?"

"Let's not and say we did," she hissed. Antonio stared at her, puzzled. "Lovino, what did you get?"

"Don't worry about it," she said as she dashed upstairs. Antonio turned to Francis, still confused. "Francis, what does he have?"

Francis put an arm around his friend. "Don't worry mon ami, you'll find out soon enough. Now, I'm thirsty. And it's very rude not to offer you're guest a drink." Antonio rolled his eyes as the two headed for the kitchen.

Lovino went back downstairs after she hid Francis's gift. She heard them laughing in the kitchen. When she reached them, they had already opened a bottle of wine. They were talking quite loudly as she crept closer.

"So Francis, how was Lovino today?" Antonio asked as he refilled his cup. "Fine. why do you ask?" Francis responded.

"He's been acting weird for awhile...really sensitive, you know?" Francis smirked as he took a drink. "Maybe he's in touch with his feminine side." Lovina glared at him. _I swear to god, I'll kill him..._

Antonio shrugged and finished off his glass. "You knowwhat Ifind weird? He hasn'tchanged since he got here. I mean usually boys his age have matured a little bit by now. If anything, he's gone in the opposite direction." Lovina's heart raced. _Does he know?_

Antonio slumped over and refilled his glass again. "I don't know, I just want to make the kid happy." Francis placed a hand on Antonio's shoulder and filled his own glass. "I know, I know."

Lovina could tell they were starting to feel the affects of the alcohol. She walked in and both men turned to her. Antonio grinned foolishly. "Eh, Lovino, how are you? come sit down." Lovina slowly walked over and sat in the chair next to him. She saw Francis wink and rolled her eyes.

"We were just talking about you! I'm going to be straight with you Lovi;" Antonio threw his arm around her and pulled her closer. "You seem to be acting kind of...well kind of feminine." Lovina's eyes widened as Antonio leaned closer. "Don't love you any way. Don't we, Francis?"

Lovina could smell the wine on his breath. Francis laughed and stood. "Oui, we do. But I think I'll be heading out now."

Antonio pouted. "We were having such a good time..." Francis chuckled as he walked out. "Have fun with someone else tonight."

"Adios Francis." Antonio waved weakly as his friend left. Lovina sighed as she tried to stand him up. "Time to go to bed, bastardo." They headed upstairs. When Lovina was finally able to set him down on his bede she sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "You're really annoying when you're drunk. wait here and I'll get you some water."

She hurried out. When she returned, she found him sitting on the bed with his shirt tossed in a heap on the floor. She tried not to blush as she set the glass on the nightstand. Antonio grabbed her arm and smiled. " have I met you before?"

Lovina didn't know how to respond. There was a strange look in his eye. Before she vould say anything, he pulled her onto the bed and laid himself on top of her.

He held her down and pushed his hips down against hers. She began to protest, but was soon silenced by his lips pressing against hers. She resisted at first, as he desperately tried to coax her into giving in. Antonio pressed harder and harder, biting her lip, trying everything he could. Until she finally submitted. Lovina kissed back with as much passion as he had, sucking on his bottom lip.

He pulled away for a moment to catch his breath and stared at Lovina, confused. "Lovino, what are you doing here?" Lovina stared back at him, just as puzzled. Antonio soon started laughing. "Forgive me Lovino, I thought you were a pretty woman."

Lovina's heart sank as he rolled off her and laid on his back. He was still laughing as Lovina lay there, biting her lip. She sat up and looked at him.

She stared at him awhile before crawling over and placing herslef on top of him. "I am..." she whispered. He smirked up at her. "You are what?" he asked, half speaking, half laughing while his eyes drooped. Her eyes pierced him.

"Antonio, I...I'm a woman..." He just chuckled as he closed his eyes. "Why am I not so surprised?" he asked before falling asleep.

**I KNOW, I'M A TEASE. DEAL WITH IT. I hope you enjoyed what little you got ;) Until next time kiddies...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Next chapter, yay! As always, REVIEW! GET READY FOR SOME MAJOR SHIT TO GO DOWN…enjoy!**

The next morning, Lovina woke up with Antonio's arm thrown across her. She bolted up, remembering the previous night. She held her head in her hands and sighed. _I can't believe I slept in his bed…_ She peeked toward the window. It must've been noon already.

Antonio stirred next to her. She panicked, wondering how much he remembered. Lovina tried to silently slip out of his bed, but ended up tripping and falling on her face.

"Ow!" she groaned as she rubbed her forehead. Her legs were still tangled in his sheets when he finally sat up. Antonio watched her struggle to free herself and chuckled. "What are you doing Lovino?"

Lovina looked up and froze. "I-I was just leaving." She finally stood and brushed herself off. Antonio lay back down and pinched the bridge of his nose. "My head is killing me. Did I really drink that much?" Lovina nodded her head slowly. Antonio looked over at her, worried.

"I didn't do anything stupid, did I?" Lovina stared at the floor. "Nothing any more stupid than usual…" she lied. "I guess I'll be going now." Lovina quickly scurried out and dashed into her room. She sighed as she crawled into her own bed.

She hated herself at that moment. She was only able to tell him the truth when he was drunk and wouldn't remember. She cursed her weakness. There was a light knock on the door.

"I'm making something to eat, Lovino. Feel free to join me." She let out a short "Hm" and listened as he walked away. She wasn't in the mood to eat.

Antonio trotted down the stairs. His head ached after last night and needed something in his stomach. He quickly made some pasta, hoping his servant would come down and eat to.

He sat at the table, concentrating as he ate. Antonio was sure he was missing something. He hated how little he could remember whenever he got drunk. Antonio heard a knock at the door and rose to answer it.

Roderich was waiting for him, obviously distressed. "Hey amigo, what's wrong?" Roderich walked in, holding some papers. "It's that damn Turk who's been terrorizing everyone. Nobody has been able to stop him. And everyone is depending on us, along with Gilbert and Francis, to stop him. And those two idiots haven't been doing anything!"

"Look, first off, Gil has been away for awhile. As soon as he gets back, I'm sure we'll make more progress. And as for Francis…" Antonio trailed off. "Well, Francis is a lover, not a fighter, si?"

Roderich rolled his eyes and handed him the papers. "These are some eyewitness accounts and various statements. Can you look through them and see if you can find anything useful?"

"Si, I will do my best. " Roderich sighed and closed his eyes. "Good. Oh, and before I forget…" He fished around in his coat pocket and pulled out a letter. "This is from Lovino, from Elizaveta." Antonio gave him a quizzical look as he took it and Roderich just shrugged.

"I must be off. Just do the best you can, and we can discuss this more later." Antonio followed him out the door.

"Be careful amigo!" Antonio called as Roderich headed back. Antonio walked back inside and immediately started looking at the statements. He glanced upstairs. _I don't think Lovino's coming down anytime soon. _

He sighed after reading through the papers for the second time. There was nothing there he didn't already know. Antonio's eyes wandered over to Lovino's letter. His curiosity got the better of him and he slowly started to open it.

It was about to get dark and Lovina still hadn't moved. She was beginning to wonder what Antonio was up to…

"Lovino, Can you come down here please?" she heard him yell from downstairs. She slowly picked herself up and headed down.

Antonio was facing her with a piece of paper in his hand. "What do you want?" He had a suspicious look on his face. "You got a letter from Elizaveta today."

Lovina's heart stopped. "And you read it?!" he looked down at the paper. "I started, but didn't get very far. It's very strange…" He narrowed his eyes. "Shall we read it?" Lovina was frozen still. She felt like she couldn't move.

"Dear Lovi, I hope I was able to help you the other day. I know things are tough at that age, but I know you'll be fine."

"Antonio, give me the letter." Lovina's hand was shaking. He looked up at her momentarily before continuing.

"I was thinking about your question the other day about Roderich. And I never fully answered it. The truth is no, I don't think about him. But I do think about someone else. And because I never said anything, I don't know if he'll ever know or if I'll ever see him ever again…"

Lovina's eyes widened. _No. No, no, no. This can't be happening… _"Antonio!" her voice rose. "Please give it to me." He ignored her.

"That's why you must tell Antonio the truth. I know he'll understand and care for you no matter what. And I'm sure…" Antonio's face grew more and more puzzled as he read. "I'm sure he will love you as soon as he sees what a-"

Antonio stopped and reread the next three words over and over again. Lovina's heart raced and she wished she could melt into a puddle. Antonio looked at her shocked. "what a beautiful young woman you are…"

Lovina bolted. She ran upstairs and into her room slamming the door behind her. She could hear him running as well. She threw herself against the door as he reached for the knob. "Lovino, you open this door right now!"

"Go away!" she cried. But she knew that he was stronger than him. She stepped away as he barreled into the room. He stared at her and shook his head. "I don't understand…"

Lovina felt her legs go numb. Her knees buckled and she dropped to the floor. Hot tears rolled down her face as she stared back at him, unable to say anything. He slowly walked to her and crouched in front of her. She felt him slowly wipe her tears and hold her cheek. Antonio gave her a small, sad smile. "I think you're a pretty girl, Lovino."

Lovina's eyes narrowed. She smacked him across the face and glared. "You keep your damn hands off me." Antonio frowned at her. "And don't you dare call me pretty." Antonio stared at her before scooping her up in his arms. She struggled as he carried her over to the bed.

_Oh god. _She went into hysterics. "No, No! Please! Antonio, stop!" He slowly placed her on the edge of the bed. He knelt down in front of her and held her hands in his. He remained silent as Lovina tried to calm down. He finally looked at her, his eyes filled with sympathy.

"Lovino, will you answer my questions?" Lovina slowly nodded.

"What's your real name?" "Lovina," she said hesitantly. He sighed. "Very creative…" he mumbled. She glared at him.

"How old are you?" she looked away. "Almost 17, " she replied softly. "Who else knows, besides Elizaveta?" Lovina shifted slightly. "…Francis"

Antonio tensed up and his eyes narrowed. "How?"

"It was an accident, he just didn't knock," she said quickly. He relaxed a little as he came up and sat beside her. "…Why?"

This was the question she feared the most. "Wh-why does it matter? Why do you care?" Antonio held her hands tighter. "It matters because something is obviously not right if you feel the need to hide this from me. Now tell me why. "

"No," she replied coldly. "Tell me," he ordered. She tried to pull her hands away, but he wouldn't let her. She glared at him as more tears began to fall. "You wanna know why? So rich bastards like you don't put their hands all over me!" She was breathing heavily as Antonio's eyes widened. He searched her eyes, hoping she was lying, but she just continued to cry.

He grabbed her and pulled her into his chest. "Lovina…I'm so sorry." She let him hold her while she cried. Soon she was pulling him closer, until he moved her onto his lap. She stayed there and sobbed while he stroked her back, trying to soothe her. Soon enough, her sobs died down.

"Lovina…you know…you know I would never…" She finally looked up at him and saw the tears in his eyes. She threw her arms around his neck and held him tighter, if that was even possible. Antonio rested his head on her shoulder.

"I know" she whispered as they held each other as if they would never let go.

**SO MANY FEELS! So the truth finally came out. We'll see what happens next time…bye kiddies**


	11. Chapter 11

**Yay, new chapter. Remember to review! **

Lovina lost track of how long they stayed like that. Neither of them had any desire to move from their position. Lovina felt safer than she ever had before. But she didn't like the silence. Antonio was always chatty, so his sudden change of character was unsettling to her. "Antonio?" she said, breaking the silence. Antonio was glad she had finally spoken up. He was beginning to worry….

"Si?" She shifted slightly, avoiding his stare. "I'm sorry I smacked you…" Antonio laughed. She smiled as she felt his chest move up and down. "I probably deserved it." She rolled her eyes. "You did." She pulled away from his embrace. "Ho fame."

Antonio chuckled and set her on the ground. "Of course you are. I'll make you dinner." His eyes lit up as he stood. "But first come with me." She followed him tentatively out of the room. He led her down the hall to a room she'd never been in before. She never asked about it, and he never brought it up.

He opened the door and motioned for her to go in. It was a nice room, with pale blue walls and white furniture. There was a desk, a small bookshelf, and a dresser. "This was my mother's study. She'd come here and read, write, anything she wanted. After she died, I moved most of her stuff in here." He opened the dresser for her. "I think there are some dresses that should fit you." She peered in the drawer. The dresses looked nice, but seemed too plain to belong to a woman of higher status.

"Mama hated dressing up," Antonio said, answering her unasked question. "They're yours, if you want them…" Lovina nodded slowly. "Grazie…" Antonio smiled as he started to leave. "De nada." Lovina closed the door behind him. She sighed and walked to the dresser.

She picked up a soft green dress. It was simple and the fabric felt comfortable enough. She unwrapped her chest and slipped the dress on. She had never felt freer in her life. She liked the way the dress sit on her body. It was a little big, but that only made it more comfortable.

She slowly walked down the stairs. She suddenly felt nervous. Her heart fluttered as she headed toward the kitchen. She could hear Antonio cutting something and tinkering with various pots and pans. She opened the door and stepped in. "Did you find something?" he asked without turning around. "Si, they're all very nice…"

"I'm glad you like them." He turned to face her. His eyes widened as he looked her up and down. How he had concealed her extremely feminine body from him, he'll never know. The fabric sat on her body perfectly, accenting her finally exposed curves. Lovina crossed her arms as he continued to stare. "I won't hesitate to slap you again, bastardo."

He quickly turned around and resumed his cooking. "Lo siento. This will just…take some time to get used to…" He glanced back and smirked. "And you know, a lady should not be using that kind of language. " Lovina rolled her eyes and sat down. "I'm a girl not a lady, idiota." Antonio chuckled.

"You're Lovi, alright." He put as plate of pasta in front of her. "Enjoy!" Lovina greedily at the pasta. Antonio smirked as she shoveled her meal into her mouth. Now that he had her nice and happy, he decided to ask some more questions.

"So Lovi…" Lovina looked up from her dinner warily. She didn't like where this conversation was going. "How does your hermano feel about all of this…?" She sighed and took a break from her pasta.

"You see, we grew up on our own, for the most part. We stayed with our grandpa for a while, but one day he just disappeared. So we tried to find odd jobs around town, even though we weren't good at much of anything. When we were about thirteen, Feli was working at a small restaurant and I was a housemaid's assistant. My boss…was not a nice man…" Antonio tensed up as he realized where she was going with this. "He'd always find me in between chores," she continued. "And he would tell me that it was my job to do what he said…After awhile, I just couldn't take it anymore. Then Feli found out and made me quit. After that, I chopped all my hair off and we ran. I started wearing Feli's clothes when we were searching for work and food. People assumed I was a boy, so I went along with it. Then we came to Mr. Roderich's house. He must not have been doing well, because he could only take in one of us. So I told Feli to stay. He felt bad for us and told me to head your way. So I did…you know the rest."

Antonio nodded and looked at her thoughtfully. He remembered how she had nearly collapsed on the front step begging for food. "I never did thank you…" Antonio was pulled from his thoughts as she spoke. He smiled and placed his hand over hers. "You don't have to. Ever." She pulled her hand out from under his and looked away. "Well…thanks anyway…" It felt different when he touched her now. Before, he could grab her and hug her and only piss her off. But now, she didn't know how it made her feel.

Antonio sat up straight and smirked. "I do have one more question…why were you asking Elizaveta about what she thought of Roderich, and what did that have to do with me?" She glared at him, knowing he was taunting her. "None of your business, bastardo!" she snapped. Antonio shook his head and smiled. "Lovi, it's not healthy to keep your feelings all bottled up." Her face turned bright red. "I-I am not! Leave me alone, stronzo." She crossed her arms and pouted. He laughed as he stood. "I'm going to bed. Make sure to clean up after yourself." He walked toward the door, but turned around before leaving . "Oh, and Lovi," he said grinning. "I think you should listen to Elizaveta. Maybe her prediction could come true." He winked as he left, leaving Lovina speechless and bright red.

**SO CUTE. Thanks for reading! Until next time kiddies…**


	12. Chapter 12

**New chapter, Yay! Remember to review, yada yada yada…Thanks for continually reading! It means a lot! Enjoy kiddies…**

The next morning, Lovina was woken by a loud noise coming from downstairs. It sounded like a man laughing. She got up and slipped on one of the dresses that Antonio had given her. She was still getting used to the feeling of wearing something so delicate. Today, she wore a deep red dress with sleeves that stopped at her forearms and fell at her mid calves.

She slowly crept downstairs and heard two men talking. "It's so good to see you after such a long time." She recognized Antonio's voice. She heard another man laugh and thought he was the one who woke her up. "Did you miss the awesome me?"

Lovina peered around the corner and saw a white haired man speaking with Antonio. They went on for a while, chit chatting, until Antonio spotted her watching them. He smiled and crossed his arms. "Lovi, are you spying on me?" Lovina shuffled from around the corner and pouted. "Don't flatter yourself, bastardo."

Antonio's eyes lit up. His friend turned around as Antonio walked over to her. "You look very nice today, Lovi." Lovina turned away from him to try to hide the fact that she was blushing. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

She looked up at Antonio's friend. He was pale and had white hair and red eyes. He had an annoying look of confidence on his face. Antonio noticed her eyeing him and placed his arm around her shoulder. "Lovi, this is my good friend Gilbert. Gilbert, this is Lovina."

Gilbert smirked as he approached her. "It is awesome to be meeting me, no?" Lovina drew closer to Antonio and frowned. "No," she sneered. Gilbert chuckled and snickered at Antonio. "Your girlfriend's got some fight in her, Toni."

Lovina immediately shoved Antonio away. "I am not his, his fidanzata!" she stuttered. Antonio grinned. He loved seeing her flustered. "Whatever you say, Mädchen," Gilbert retorted.

Lovina decided she didn't like Antonio's friend. "So when is Francis getting here?" Gilbert asked. "He should be here any moment now." Lovina looked at him worriedly. "Francis is coming today?" Antonio noticed the worry in her eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, is everything alright?"

Lovina groaned. "I don't feel like dealing with him. He's never going to leave me alone when he sees me like this…" She frowned as Antonio chuckled. "I won't let him give you a hard time," he assured her.

The door open and Francis burst in. "Bon jour mon ami!" His eyes immediately went to Lovina. "So the papillon has finally come out of her cacoon." He smirked as she rolled her eyes. "I don't want to hear anything out of you, got it?"

"You are a lucky man Antonio, to have such a belle dame in your home." Antonio looked over at Lovina awkwardly. "Y-yes. I mean…" Lovina glared at him as he babbled.

"Careful Antonio, you'll make your belle dame angry" Francis added with a wink. Lovina groaned and headed toward the kitchen. "You three are crazy" She muttered as she left to fix herself some breakfast. Antonio punched Francis in the arm. "Thanks a lot, carbon."

Francis smirked. "I'm so sorry, I did not mean to get between you and your amoureux." Antonio sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Look, we have some serious things to talk about. So if you could take a break from tormenting me that would be great." Francis nodded. They all headed for Antonio's private study to discuss what to do about a certain Turk.

Lovina grew bored as the hours passed. She had no idea where the men had gone off to, so she began searching for them. After looking for awhile, she heard voices coming from behind Antonio's study. She pressed her ear to the door and listened in on the men.

"This is all pretty sudden, don't you think?" she heard Antonio say. "It has to be now, before he moves on to a new location" Gilbert answered. "But you don't understand, I have someone else to think of…" Antonio trailed off. _Is he talking about me…?_

"Lovina can take care of herself, Antonio. You worry about her too much" Francis said reassuringly. "You don't know what she's been through. If he came and found her alone…" Lovina's heart beat rapidly as he spoke. "I'd never forgive myself…"

Lovina stepped away from the door. _All I do is make him worry. _She hated how weak she was. How there wasn't anything she could do to help him.

"Take her to stay with Roderich. She can be with her brother and stay protected at the same time" Francis suggested. It was quiet for what seemed like forever. "Alright. We'll leave tomorrow…"

Lovina felt her heart drop into her stomach. Before she could think, she opened the door. All three men jumped as the door swung open. She stared at Antonio, confused. "Y-You're leaving?" Antonio didn't know what to say. He sighed and looked away from her. "You shouldn't eaves drop Lovina" he muttered. She frowned.

"You didn't answer my question." The other two looked at each other uncomfortably. "Look Lovi, we need to track someone down" Francis explained. "I know you ran into him. He was the one that attacked you…" Lovina's eyes widened. She rushed over to Antonio and grabbed him by the shirt. "Him? You can't, it's too dangerous!" Antonio moved her hand away. "I have to. This needs to stop. They need my help and I…"He paused and looked her in the eye. "I need to protect you."

Lovina threw her arms around his waist. "Then you stay here!" Gilbert looked upon her with pity. "It's not that simple, mädchen. We need his help in this. Please try to understand."

Lovina pulled away from Antonio and narrowed her eyes. "So what, you were just going to dump me off at Mister Roderich's and leave?" she looked around at the others

All three men shifted guiltily. Lovina shook her head as she started to leave. "Fine. Go and get yourself killed see if I care" she muttered bitterly before slamming the door behind her.

**Yay for bad touch trio! Oh my goodness I love them so much…Until next time kiddies…**


	13. Chapter 13

**Yay, new chapter. Bring on the drama suckas. Thanks for reading and make sure to review. You know how I love to hear from ya'll (let it be noted that I will never say "ya'll" again. I sincerely apologize). Enjoy!**

Antonio caught her arm before she headed up the stairs. "Lovina, don't make this harder than it has to be." She stood there silently. "Lovi come on, don't shut down on me like this."

Silence.

"Lovi, say something."

Silence.

"Dammit Lovina! I'm trying to do the right thing here!"

"…I already told you I don't care." She pulled her arm out of his grasp. But he quickly grabbed her again and spun her around.

"Why are you pushing me away?! This isn't easy for me, you know!" Francis and Gilbert quietly listened from behind the corner.

"I'm not the bad guy here, Lovi. I promise, I'll come back. It'll be alright I swear." Lovina grew angrier by the second. She pushed him Antonio away from her and glared. "You can't promise me that! So don't even try to tell me that you know everything's going to be ok." She stared at the floor weakly. "Because you don't" she added bitterly. Antonio's eyes softened.

"Lovi, look at me." She slowly lifted her eyes as he came closer. He lifted her chin lightly, forcing her to look straight at him. "I will do everything in my power to come back to you. This, I can promise."

His face was only inches away from hers. He slowly leaned in closer and pressed his lips against hers. He placed his hand on the back of her neck and gently pushed her closer. She soon gave in and kissed him back as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

She slowly pulled away and rested her head against his chest. "I'll kick your ass if you don't come back in one piece…" She mumbled. Antonio chuckled and held her tight. "I know" he replied.

Gilbert cleared his throat, startling the two. Lovina stepped away from Antonio, embarrassed. "It really is getting late…" he sneered. "We should probably be heading out," Francis added, smirking. Lovina's face turned red as a tomato. Antonio sighed. "Be back here tomorrow by 7:00. We'll head out after I drop off Lovi."

"Whatever you say Toni," Gilbert replied as he headed for the door. "Just remember we will be here at 7:00 sharp. So don't have too much fun tonight" Francis added.

"Just get out pervertido!" Lovina yelled. Antonio rolled his eyes as the two left. He turned back to Lovina. "I'm sorry about them…they can be overbearing."

"I hadn't noticed…" she mumbled. Antonio chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her once again. "When all this is over, things will go back to the way they were."

Lovina nodded and held him tight. Antonio released her and stroked her cheek softly. "I need you to go upstairs and pack a bag. You'll need to pack for at least 4 days." She started to protest, but he stopped her before she could speak. "I know that seems like a long time, but I don't know how long this will take." Lovina nodded grimly before heading upstairs.

She did as he instructed and placed the bag by the door. She sat down on the edge of her bed and sighed. Antonio knocked softly on the door. "Come in."

He entered and sat beside her. They stared there like that in silence for a few minutes before he spoke. "Thank you," he said, placing her hand in his. "…For understanding." She simply nodded and stared out the window. He placed a gentle kiss on her temple before standing up. But Lovina held onto his hand.

"Will you stay with me?" Antonio smiled gently. "Of course." They both crawled under the covers and lay facing each other. Antonio wrapped his arm around her as she buried her head in his chest. "No funny business" she murmured. Antonio grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it." That night, they both slept more soundly than either of them had in a long time.

The next morning, Francis and Gilbert arrived right on time. Antonio and Lovina were still asleep when they entered. "Toni! Rise and shine sleeping beauty! We got to get a move on" Gilbert called. Antonio sat up groggily. He rubbed his eyes and yawned." What?" he mumbled as he began to wake up. He smiled when he saw Lovina sleeping beside him. He smirked as he leaned down over her and pressed his lips to her ear.

"Good morning, bella" he whispered. Lovina shot up, hitting his nose. Antonio whimpered as he grabbed her before she fell of the bed. Gilbert and Francis heard the commotion and quickly headed upstairs. Antonio rubbed his nose and tried to ignore the pain. "Idiota! What were you thinking, scaring me like that?!"Lovina yelled. Antonio rolled his eyes. "I was trying to surprise you. Sorry if I didn't think you would freak out like a crazy person." Lovina narrowed her eyes. "I am not crazy, you're an idiot! You don't surprise a girl by climbing on top of her while she's sleeping!"

"Umm…good morning…" The two looked over and saw Gilbert and Francis standing awkwardly in the doorway. Lovina's face turned bright red as she pushed Antonio out of her bed. He let out a small cry as he landed on the floor with a thud. "Dammit Lovina, What was that for?!"

Lovina crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "For being a complete idiota" she grumbled. Antonio rose and turned to the other two men who were desperately trying to stifle their laughter. Antonio glared at them. "We'll be down in a moment." Francis and Gilbert took that as their cue to leave. Antonio headed toward the door behind them. "Get ready quickly. We need to leave as soon as possible."

Lovina sighed as she got up. "Hold on…" she walked over to him and gently held his chin. She turned his head side to side and inspected his nose. "You can be such a wuss sometimes…your fine. I'm sorry." She moved her hand to his nose. He winced as she pinched it lightly. "But you deserved it." He rolled his eyes and left.

Lovina quickly got dressed. She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. The others were waiting for her in front of the door. "You ready?" France asked. Lovina nodded as they headed out the door.

**YAY FOR CUTE SHIT GOIN DOWN. until next time kiddies….**


	14. Chapter 14

**New chapter, Yay! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I just wanna say, I'm really glad you guys like how I portray the characters. It makes me so happy to know that it works haha! Remember to continue reviewing my lovelies! Enjoy!**

Soon the four arrived at Roderich's house. Antonio went up and knocked on the door. Elizaveta opened the door and smiled. "Mister Antonio, it's so good to see you. What are you doing here?" Antonio smiled back. "It's good to see you too. We need to see Roderich, it's very important."

Please, come in." she stepped aside. "Come on Lovi." Antonio called behind him.

Lovina slowly stepped out from behind him. Elizaveta's smile widened as she looked the girl up and down. Elizaveta quickly pulled her into an embrace. "I'm so happy for you" she whispered. Antonio saw a small smile smile on Lovina's lips. Antonio walked in, followed by Francis, then Gilbert. But Gilbert froze as soon as he saw Elizaveta.

"…Lizzie?" Elizabeta's eyes widened as he stepped closer, staring at her. "Gil?" Gilbert laughed as he picked her up and spun her around. "It's so awesome to see you Lizzie!" Lovina started watching the two, but was interrupted by Antonio's hand on the small of her back, gently pushing her onward. "Maybe we should let them catch up" Antonio said, winking. Francis smirked as he followed the two into Roderich's music room.

They could hear the piano playing as they got closer. But Lovina slowed as they approached the doors. Antonio looked at her, concerned. "Is everything alright Lovi?" Lovina shifted uncomfortably. "What will he say when he sees me…?"

She felt Francis place his hand on her shoulder. "If he gives you any trouble, I'll kick his ass for you, oui?" Antonio placed a light kiss on the top of her head. "Everything will work out fine." Lovina nodded as he opened the doors. Roderich finished the piece right as they entered. He turned to face them. "Can I-"

He stopped short when he saw Lovina. He walked toward the three, never taking his eyes off her. "Lovino, is that you?" She nodded her head slowly. She couldn't quite read his expression. He looked shocked, confused, and maybe even amused. "Well I…when did you…" He trailed off, trying to find the right words. Lovina sighed. "I can explain later, Mister Roderich."

He nodded. "Yes of course…" He looked at Antonio quizzically. Francis cleared his throat. "We've decided to hunt down Sadiq. Gilbert has returned and he's on board as well." Roderich let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm glad you've decided to take action."

Antonio stepped forward. "But I need you to do me a favor. I can't leave Lovina by herself. Could she please stay with you." Roderich smiled. "Of course, it's the least I can do. When are you leaving?"

"Today" Francis responded. "I see. Well I'll take in…Lovina while you're away." Antonio shook Roderich's hand. "Muchas gracias. Hopefully we won't be away too long." They all filed out of the room and saw Gilbert still talking with Elizaveta. When she saw the others, Elizaveta blushed and stepped away from him. He simply smirked and turned to the others. "We all set?"

"Oui" Francis answered. "Awesome! Don't worry Lizzie, I'll be back soon." She smiled as he walked out the door, followed by Francis and Antonio. Lovina looked to Roderich and Elizaveta. "I'm going to go say goodbye" she said before bursting through the doors.

"Antonio!" she called. He turned around and smiled as he walked to her. She fought back tears as he lifted her chin. "Try to stay out of trouble, ok Lovi?" She rolled her eyes. "I don't get into trouble" she grumbled. Antonio chucked as he leaned in closer.

"I'll be back as soon as possible." Lovina nodded as he wiped a stray tear from her face. "You shouldn't be worrying about me, idiota." He smiled and gently kissed her. She pulled away and hugged him. "I will never stop worrying about you" he muttered. He let go of her and paced his hands on her shoulders. "But I know you'll be fine. I'll see you in a little while" he promised. She nodded and watched him follow the other two until they were out of sight.

When she got back inside, Feliciano was eagerly waiting for her. "Sorella, I'm so happy you're here!" he said as he nearly tackled her. His embrace was starting to suffocate her. "Feli…let go…" Feliciano released her, smiling. "I'm sorry, it's just so good to see you, especially as a girl!" Roderich looked away uncomfortably.

"Lovina, I hope you'll enjoy your stay here…" Why did he have to always be so formal? "Thank you Mister Roderich…"

"Elizaveta, please take Lovina to one of the spare rooms." Elizaveta nodded and smiled. "Yes sir." Elizaveta led Lovina upstairs and showed her into a small room, similar to the one at home. Elizaveta left to let her get settled.

Lovina stayed in her room for the rest of the day. She just sat on the bed and stared out the window, worrying. It was starting to get dark when Feliciano popped his head in. "Sorella, do you want to come down?" she shook her head. "That's ok Lovi, I'll come to you!" He sat next to her and smiled. Lovina looked at him, and sighed. Feliciano's smile faltered as he put his arm around his sister. "You're worried about your boss, aren't you?" she nodded her head slowly.

"Don't worry, Lovi! Mister Antonio is strong and nice and the coolest guy I know! He'll be fine!" Lovina smiled lightly. Somehow, her brother's words comforted her. She leaned over and hugged him, catching him by surprise. "Thank you Feli…" she said softly. Feliciano chuckled as he hugged her back. "You're much nicer as a girl, Lovi." She rolled her eyes. "Don't push your luck, idiota." Feliciano just laughed as he continued to comfort his sister.

The next day, she helped Feliciano and Elizaveta with their chores to try to keep her mind occupied. But no matter what she did, she still worried. But she was glad she had her brother with her, even if he was extremely annoying at times. And Elizaveta cared for her, so things could've been worse.

But nights were the worst. There was nothing she could do to distract herself. So she was left staring up at the ceiling, imagining the worst. She missed him holding her while she slept. She barely slept for the whole duration of her stay.

By day three, she was at her wits end. She was anxious to know how he was doing and what was going on. She tried to distract herself by talking to Roderich, but that didn't help. She eventually retreated to her room and stayed there the rest of the afternoon. I didn't help that it was raining. As she watched the drops hit the windowpane, her uneasiness only grew. It wasn't until later that evening did Elizaveta call for her. "Lovi, they're back!"

Lovina bolted out of her room. She ran down the stairs, eager to finally know that Antonio was safe. Her heart shattered when she saw Gilbert and Francis dragging Antonio through the door. They were all soaking wet and Antonio's body was limp.

Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. Francis rushed to her side. "Lovina, look at me." Her eyes were wide and full of tears. She couldn't tear her gaze away from Antonio as Gilbert now supported him while talking to Roderich. "Lovi!" he said, shaking her. She finally looked at him, her eyes full of fear.

"It's ok, he's ok. He just hit his head! He's going to be fine." Lovina slowly nodded as he released her. She held her face in the hands as she sobbed. "You idiota! Why would you drag him in here like a damn corpse!" she yelled. Elizaveta placed her hand on Lovina's back.

"Calm down Lovi. We're getting a doctor. You don't have to worry."

**Yay for PruHun. Not yay for hurt Antonio….until next time kiddies…**


	15. Chapter 15

**Yay, new chapter! Remember to review lovelies! Enjoy…**

Lovina watched as Gilbert and Francis carried Antonio upstairs after Roderich left to fetch Dr. Yao. Lovina, Feliciano, and Elizaveta followed the men upstairs and found a room where Antonio could stay. Lovina rolled her eyes as it became very clear that neither Francis nor Gilbert knew what they were doing.

"No, idiotas, you can't just leave him in soaked clothes. You want him to die of hypothermia?" Francis gave her a puzzled look. "Hypo-what?" he asked. Lovina smacked her palm to her forehead. "Mio dio, Feli, can you find something dry to put on him?" Feliciano nodded and left.

"Get his wet clothes off before you put him in the bed or he'll freeze to death, ok?" Gilbert smirked as he nodded. "Yeah whatever. We got it." She and Elizaveta exited the room as Feliciano came with some dry clothes. Elizaveta smiled at him proudly. "Good job Feli. Now please go help the other."

"Si!" he said happily as he went inside. "stupid bastardo" Lovina muttered. "I told him not to get hurt and look what he does…" She slumped down on the floor. Elizaveta kneeled beside her and her hand on her shoulder. "But he has you to help him. So be there for him."

Lovina nodded and stood. She slowly entered the room as the men had just maneuvered Antonio into the bed. She quietly grabbed a chair and set it beside him. She slowly sat down as her brother stepped closer to her. He smiled softly. "It's ok sorella. I'm sure he'll get better in no time!" she nodded silently.

"If it makes you feel better," Francis started hesitantly. "It wasn't for nothing. He was able to stop Sadiq, for the time being."

Gilbert laughed. "It was awesome! You should have seen him! He was almost as awesome as me."

Lovina pushed Antonio's damp hair out of his face. "I don't care" she replied softly. "It's not worth it." Francis sighed. "I understand, mon ami" he responded.

Soon Roderich returned with Dr. Yao. He was and exotic looking man with long hair kept in a messy ponytail. he groaned as he saw everyone gathered in the room. "All of you, out."

Lovian stood and pouted. "I'm not going anywhere" she protested. But Roderich grabbed her and gently pulled her out. "Come on Lovina, let him do his job." She glared at the doctor as everyone left. Roderich had Elizaveta take Lovina to the kitchen to make her something to eat. "I'm not hungry" she grumbled as she followed Elizaveta. Elizaveta frowned. "He's right, you need to eat. What would Antonio say?"

She knew Lovina couldn't argue against that. Lovina shoveled down her dinner and went back upstairs. She sat outside his room and waited for the doctor for what felt like hours. The door finally opened and Dr. Yao stepped out. Lovina quickly rose. He rolled his eyes as soon as he saw her. "You again. He just has a concussion and is going to be out for a while. Have someone reach me when he wakes up."

He started heading down the stairs. "When will that be?" Lovina called. "How should I know?" the doctor said, shrugging. She rolled her eyes before walking into his room. She was comforted by the steady rise and fall of his chest. But she didn't like how weak he looked. She noticed her chair was still there and sat beside him once again. She shook her head and chuckled as she noticed the small, but always present smile on his face.

"Torturing yourself like this is not going to wake him up any sooner, nor is it awesome." Lovina jumped and whipped her head around. Gilbert was leaning on the doorframe, smirking. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Antonio. "Like you care…"

She heard him sigh and walk toward her. "Now how un-awesome would I be if I didn't care?" he grabbed another chair that was in the room and placed it next to hers. He sat there for a moment, just staring at her. Lovina started feeling uncomfortable.

"I've decided you're awesome enough for him" he declared. Lovina gave him a quizzical look. "What?" Gilbert laughed and smirked. "You have my awesome blessing." Lovina felt her face turning red and tried to change the subject.

"H-how do you know Elizaveta?" Gilbert smiled warmly. "Lizzie and I grew up together. She was my best friend. We spent all our time with each other."

"What happened?" Lovina asked. Gilbert's smile faltered. "I don't know. Something happened and she wouldn't tell me what was going on. Next thing I know, she's gone." His smile returned. "But it is so awesome to see her again! When we got here, I was afraid she'd married Roddie. He's definitely not awesome enough for her."

Lovina smirked and raised an eyebrow. "And you are?" Now it was Gilbert's turn to blush. "I-I never said that, I…" he shook his head. "You know what? I'm not. No one is."

Lovina tilted her head and stared at him. _Could he be…_ Lovina's eyes widened. "You?" Gilbert looked at her, confused. "Huh?"

Lovina laughed. "You're the one she-" Lovina cut herself off. "Nevermind…" Gilbert eyed her, intrigued. "No, what were you going to say?" She looked at him guiltily. "It's not for me to tell. But you're right. Elizaveta deserves the best." She smirked and watched him from the corner of her eye. "But you have my blessing."

Gilbert smiled lightly and ran his hand through his hair. "So the tables have turned. Not awesome. But you seem to be close with her...is this true." Lovina nodded. "She's helped me through so much. I'll never be able to repay her. She guided me and taught me everything I needed to know. She even…" Lovina trailed off uncomfortably. "She even kept my secret for me. She didn't have to, but she did it anyway."

"Do you mind me asking what said secret is?" Lovina smirked. "Well it isn't exactly a secret anymore…" Gilbert raised an eyebrow, confused. "For a long time, a pretended to be a boy…" Gilbert thought about it for a second, then laughed. Lovina felt a little hurt. "This is funny to you?"

"Yes, because I know why she kept it a secret. Lizzie did the same exact thing. She wanted to play with the boys, so she became a boy. But I think your motives may have differed."

"Gilbert!" He turned around and saw Elizaveta glaring at him angrily. "Why would you tell her this?!" He laughed nervously. "C'mon Lizzie, I knew she would understand…" He walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulder. "Don't be mad at me that would not be awesome." She rolled her eyes and turned to Lovina. "You need to go to sleep." Lovina tried to protest but Elizaveta wouldn't hear it.

"He'll be there tomorrow. You need to rest. Come on."Lovina huffed as she retreated back to her room. She swore she heard Elizaveta giggle as Gilbert whispered something into her ear when she left. She smiled. _I suppose he's "awesome" enough for her…_

The next morning, Lovina awoke to Roderich's playing. Something about the tune sounded familiar. As she headed downstairs, she finally recognized the song. She slowly crept toward the music room to hear it more clearly. She stood in the doorway as he played.

"You can come in if you like" he said without turning around or stopping. She stood next to him and waited till he finished.

"Don Giovanni" she said quietly. He turned and looked at her, surprised. "You know it?" she nodded. His eyes lit up as he reached for another set of sheet music. "Can you sing it?" Lovina turned red. "Well, I…" Roderich placed his fingers on the keys. "Try this one" he requested as he began to play.

Lovina knew the song. She cleared her throat a bit as the intro played.

"Vedrai, carino, se sei buonino, Che bel rimedio ti voglio dar! È naturale, non dà disgusto, E lo speziale non lo sa far, no. non lo sa far, no. non lo sa far. È un certo balsam Chio porto addosso, Dare tel posso, Se il vuoi provar. Saper vorresti dove mi sta? Sentilo battere, toca mi qua. Sentilo battere, toca me qua."

Roderich finished the piano part and smiled.

"That was lovely." He turned to face her and noticed the tears running down her cheeks. "I hate this song" she said softly. Roderich stared at her, concerned. "I hate Zerlina. She just lets Masseto go and get beat up by Don Giovanni." Roderich started to understand. Her voice rose as she clenched her fists. "And she thinks she can help him, just because she says she loves him." Her eyes fell to the floor. "She's just a stupid girl…"

Roderich sighed as he took her hand. "But you're not." She looked back up at him. "Yes I am" she replied softly. "I'm just a burden. I feel so useless…" He gave her a soft smile. "Lovina, I don't think you understand what you've done for him. I didn't send you to him just because you needed help. He needed someone, anyone in that house with him. After he lost his parents…the first time I saw him after you came along, it was like he was a different person. A better person."

Lovina didn't realize how much she had been crying. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as Elizaveta walked in.

"Lovi, Antonio wants to see you."

**Yay for Antonio! So lemme explain the Mozart thing. That song is one I've been working on for awhile. So basically This stud don Giovanni decides Zerlina is a hot piece of ass and decides to try and get with it, but she's about to get married, then her fiancée Massetto finds out and tries to beat up Don Giovanni but is a fail whale and gets beat to a pulp, so Zerlina's like "Oh poor baby, lemme heal you with my love" and Massetto's like "Yay, boobies. I just thought about Lovi being there for Antonio and oiwhdfsonqsaidlncgfanvdousifhnguwdlhvg I don't know, I'm sorry. It was Italian so I figured the hell with it. Please excuse my opera references. I apologize if they take away from the story I JUST LOVE DON GIOVANNI SO MUCH OKAY. DON'T HATE APPRECIATE…until **


	16. Chapter 16

**Yay, new chapter! Remember to review. Your opinions are valued above all others my lovelies. Enjoy!**

Lovina's heart stopped. Before she could think, she was running upstairs. She tore open the door and found Antonio sitting up, running his hands through his hair. He looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Hola Lovi." Her eyes began to water as she stared at him.

"Idiota!" she yelled as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Why would you scare me like that? Huh?" She slowly walked to Antonio, who was speechless. "What were you thinking? And you tell me to stay out of trouble. Damn bastard…" She on the edge of his bed and sobbed into her hands. "You're such an idiot!" she looked up at him. "I want to smack you so much right now, but your damn head got knocked around so I can't! Right now what you need is some sense beaten into you, not some stupid doctor!"

Antonio's eyes widened. But after a moment he started laughing. She glared at him and punched his arm. "You think this is funny?!" he quickly grabbed her and pulled her closer, leaving barely an inch between his face and hers. "I missed you so much Lovi" he whispered. Lovina closed the space between them as her lips found his. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she threw hers around his neck. She bit his bottom lip and pressed herself against him.

Antonio winced and hissed in pain. Lovina pulled away, concerned. He placed one of his hands over the side of his stomach. "Careful Lovi…" he grunted. Lovina rolled her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me…"

The door suddenly burst open. "Get away from my patient!" Dr. Yao hollered. Antonio released Lovina as Roderich, Elizaveta, and Feliciano walked in. The doctor pushed Lovina away as he began to examine Antonio. "What hurts?"

Antonio pointed to the left side of his torso. Dr. Yao gently pushed the area and Antonio hissed. "Stop, you're hurting him!" Lovina yelled. Antonio managed to give her an unconvincing smile. "It's ok Lovi, he's doing his job."

Dr. Yao nodded as he continued to examine Antonio. "When did the pain start?" Antonio briefly glanced at Lovina. "When…pressure was applied." Dr. Yao rolled his eyes. "You Europeans are all so strange…" once he was finished, the doctor rose. "You have some cracked ribs. As long as you stay in bed, there shouldn't be any problems." He turned and glared at Lovina. "You. No more 'exciting' my patient, understand?" Lovina crossed her arms as she scowled and nodded.

"Good. I'll be back in three days. Rest until then." The doctor gathered his things and exited, followed by Roderich, who saw him out. Lovina sat back down next to Antonio as Feliciano stepped closer. "I hope you're not feeling too bad, Mr. Antonio." Antonio smiled and shook his head. "I'm just fine Feli. No harm done."

Lovina rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up, cocky bastard." He sighed and held her hand. "Come on Lovi, I think you're overreacting. I'm fine really." She glared and pulled her hand away.

"Oh, so then you don't mind if I press here?" she said as she reached for his ribs. His eyes widened as he grabbed her hand quickly. "No! That's ok…" he said quietly. Lovina smirked. "That's what I thought."

Antonio chuckled. "You're not mad at me, are you?" Lovina smiled as she pushed a stray piece of hair out of his face. "I've never been angrier with anyone in my entire life, Antonio." Her smile vanished as she got up and walked away.

"Aw come on Lovi, don't be like this!" he called. She ignored him and walked past her brother and Elizaveta and to her room. "Don't worry Mr. Antonio, it's only because she cares," Feliciano assured him. "Sorella has a strange way of showing affection…"

Antonio sighed as his head fell back on his pillow. "Yeah. I know."

That evening, Lovina couldn't fall asleep. She felt guilty about being so harsh toward Antonio. She groaned as she got out of bed. She quietly crept down the hall till she reached his door. "Antonio?" she whispered as she quietly knocked. "Come in" she heard him say from the other side of the door.

Lovina slowly opened the door and found him trying to sit up. She rushed over and pushed his shoulders back down. "Are you crazy?! You don't need to go and make things worse for yourself." Antonio smirked as he settled back down. "A late night visit, Lovi? You know the doctor said no 'excitement'." Lovina rolled her eyes. "I could always leave."

"No, please, I'm sorry. Stay" he requested. She sighed and walked to the other side of the bed. She stood there for a moment before wordlessly crawling into bed next to him. "Lovi…?" he started. "Not a single word from you, we clear?" she ordered as she rested her head on his chest. He smiled and pulled her closer.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?"she mumbled. He shook his head. "No, you're fine." Lovina listened to the steady beat of his heart as it resounded in her ears. She closed her eyes and smiled, so glad to have him back. "Lovi, you know what woke me up this morning?" he asked.

"What?" Antonio began to play with a stray curl on her head. "Music. Was that you?" Lovina felt her cheeks redden. "Y-yes." He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "It was wonderful." Lovina propped herself up and looked at him. She slowly bent down and kissed him lightly.

He grinned as he placed his hand on the small of her back and pushed her closer. Lovina's lips began to trail down to his neck. She felt Antonio tense up as her body leaned onto his. "Gentle Lovi" he muttered painfully. Lovina shifted away and looked at him apologetically. "Mi dispiace…" she mumbled as she laid her head back down. He wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Goodnight Lovi" he whispered. She sighed as she pulled the sheets back up over them. "Goodnight Antonio."

**Yay, the bastard finally woke up! Until next time kiddies…**


	17. Chapter 17

**Yay, new chapter. Be sure to review wonderful people.**

When Antonio woke the next morning and saw Lovina still sleeping beside him, he smiled. She had a small pout on her lips as she snored softly. "I could get used to this" he whispered as he gently paced a kiss on her temple.

Lovina spent the rest of their stay by his side. She talked with him all day, ate with him, and snuck back into his room their last two nights. After three long days, Dr. Yao finally came. He spent what felt like hours looking Antonio over while Lovina sat impatiently in the corner.

"Are you almost done?" she asked irritably. The doctor rolled his eyes. "How do you put up with this woman? She's crazy and won't shut up." Lovina glared at the doctor. "How about I shut you up, stronzo?!" The doctor sighed and stood up. "You might be sore, but you're free to move around. In fact I encourage it. I'm leaving now." He glanced over at Lovina. "Hopefully I won't ever have to encounter you again."

"You better hope not…" she mumbled as he left. Antonio smiled and stood. "We can go home now, Lovi." He placed his hands on her hips, pulled her closer and kissed her. Lovina pulled away and frowned. "We don't have to go just yet. I don't want you to push yourself…" Antonio chuckled and leaned in again. His hands held her firmly against him. "But you do want to go home, si?" he whispered into her ear. Lovina's face reddened as she nodded.

"Good, then we leave this afternoon" he mumbled as he left a trail of kisses down her jaw. Lovina gently held his face in her hands. "And you won't do anything stupid ever again?" she asked hesitantly. "No promises. But I'll try my best" he responded, smirking. She rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "I'm going to get my things" she said as she left the room.

Antonio sat down the bed and scratched the back of his head. "This woman torments me…" He muttered.

Once she was ready, the two headed downstairs. Roderich insisted Feliciano take them home by way of carriage, and Antonio accepted after some much needed convincing. Lovina thanked Roderich for his hospitality before they left. Antonio was anxious to get back and she didn't understand why. He wasn't acting like himself and it made Lovina uneasy.

She was relieved when they finally made it back home. Lovina said goodbye to her brother and watched him ride away. As soon as he was gone, she turned to go inside. But she was stopped by Antonio scooping her up in his arms. "Idiota, put me down before you hurt yourself!"

She tried to get Antonio to set her down, but he was stronger than her and kept his grip firm. She gave up on struggling and rolled her eyes. "Bastardo" she grumbled as he carried her in. "Lighten up, Lovi" he responded, chuckling. "Tonight, we celebrate" he beamed as he gently let her down. Lovina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Celebrate what?" Antonio chuckled as he cupped her chin gingerly. "Being alive and well of course." Her face became a deep red as he placed his hands on her hips. He leaned toward her and rested his forehead against hers. "We'll have some good food, good wine, and who knows what else" he added with a smirk. Lovina rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "Don't be so sure of yourself bastardo."

It was starting to get darker as Antonio refilled Lovina's glass. He was impressed by how well she was holding the wine. Nevertheless, she was pretty tipsy, much to Antonio's amusement. He discovered she was much nicer when she was drunk. She giggled as she took another big sip. Antonio couldn't remember the last time he heard her laugh, so he savored the moment. Her laugh was so delicate compared to her rough attitude. It reminded him of a bird, fluttering giddily. She took a break from her glass to look at him.

He chuckled as he watched her concentrate. "You know who you remind me of?" she asked hesitantly. Antonio grinned, unable to hide his amusement. "Who?" he asked, mocking her a bit. She chuckled and looked back at her glass. "My grandpa. Well, my grandpa when he was around Feli. Feli was always his favorite." He tilted his head in confusion. "I'm sure that's not true Lovi."

She sighed as she traced the rim of the glass. "It is. Feli was always the best at everything. Cooking, painting, singing. You name it, Feli did it better." She chuckled bitterly. "I used to be afraid to show off, because I knew Feliciano would end up outdoing me." Antonio's eyebrows furrowed.

"Lovi, you're not a bad cook. And I heard you sing, you were beautiful." She laughed again. God, he loved that laughed. "Toni, Toni, Toni." He smiled as she scolded him and used his nickname. Lovina turned back to him with a goofy grin on her face. "You don't listen. I never said I was bad at any of these things. I only said that Feli was better."

Antonio watched as she reached for her glass and took another huge sip. She chuckled as she moved the cup from her mouth. "You know, there is one thing Feliciano was terrible at. Dancing. Dio mio he was awful. To be fair I was terrible too. We were both evenly matched in that area."

Antonio's eyes lit up. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the table. "Come with me" he said as he pulled her up the stairs. She followed, trying her best not to stumble. He led her into his room and had her sit down on the bed. "Wait here" he ordered as he left. She absent-mindedly kicked of the shoes that were making her feet uncomfortable. He soon returned carrying a large phonograph. He set it on the dresser. "It was my mother's. She loved to listen to music" he explained as he cranked the handle. Lovina smiled as music filled the room. It was some Spanish song she didn't recognize. But she liked it and began to sway in tempo. Antonio grinned as he held out his hand to her. "Let's make you better than Feli. What do you say?"

Lovina chuckled as she grabbed his hand and let him pull her up. Antonio gently placed one hand on the small of her back and held her hand the other. Lovina lightly placed her hand on his shoulder and tried to get a feel for the rhythm. "My grandpa tried to teach me, but I don't know how much I remember…"

Antonio laughed has he slowly guided her around the room. "Just relax. I promise I'm no better than you." She snorted as she realized he was telling the truth. She couldn't tell if his lack of skill was a result of the alcohol or not. "Clearly" she muttered as she took the lead. Antonio frowned as she took over. "I think it's my job to lead, Lovi." She smirked and smiled sweetly. "That's the problem Toni, you weren't." Antonio rolled his eyes as he tried to reel her back in. "That's because where I'm from, this is not how you dance." She eyed him suspiciously as she saw a mischievous glint in his eye. "Tell me, how does a Spaniard dance?" she asked hesitantly. He smirked and halted. Lovina realized the music had stopped a while ago. His arm wrapped around her waist tightly as he leaned into her ear. "I thought you'd never ask" he whispered before picking her up.

Before she could react, he laid her on the bed. Her heart raced as he placed his hands on both sides next to her head. He was on top of her now, staring into her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to look away. Antonio leaned closer, letting his lips graze hers.

He stayed there a moment, eyes locked on hers. She smelt the sweet wine on his breath and let it intoxicate her. Lovina quickly closed what little gap remained between the two. Her heart pounded as his arms wrapped around her. She slowly sunk down into the bed as his body pressed against hers. She grabbed his collar and forced him closer, unable to contain herself.

Her breath hitched as she felt his hands wander up her blouse. He pulled away and looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, I-" Lovina shook her head as she cut him off. "You're fine" she said before pulling him back. She felt his lips curl into a smirk as his hands continued upward. She moaned softly as he began to kiss her neck, lightly sucking her skin. His hands then went down to tug at her skirt. He quickly slipped it off, and her moans continued as his hips pressed into her. They both grabbed at the buttons on each other's shirts, desperate to remove the one thing that was keeping them apart. Lovina stared at his muscles and let her hands explore his chest. Her hands moved down and began to fumble with his belt as he positioned himself on top of her. But Lovina rolled and maneuvered herself on top of him. He smirked and sat up as she straddled. "Well, well, well…" he started. But Lovina pressed her lips against his before he could continue. Antonio slowly pressed her back down into the bed. She pulled away and looked at him quizzically. He smirked. "It's always the gentleman's job to lead" he said, winking. "Shut up" she murmured as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Antonio quickly unclasped her bra and threw it aside. He stared at her breasts and chuckled. "Lovi, how did you ever hide these from me?" he asked playfully as he grabbed at her. Lovina bit her lip as his fingers slid under the sides of her underwear. He left a trail of kisses going down her neck, chest and torso, going all the down to where his hands rested. He could feel her squirm beneath him. He quickly removed the last of his clothing and slid hers off as well.

He brought his face to hers. "Antonio I never…not willingly…" she confessed. His eyes stared into hers. She saw the sympathy in his eyes and suddenly all her nervousness was wiped away. She knew this was right. She pulled his lips against hers and smiled."Lovi, I will never hurt you" He promised. She nodded and kissed him tenderly.

Antonio gently eased into her. It felt awkward at first, but they soon found a rhythm. He moaned as they moved together. Lovina gasped in pleasure as he shifted, finding just the right spot. The sensation of his skin against hers was dizzying. She thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest has he picked up the pace. They both moaned as they finished, satisfying each other. Antonio pulled away and lay down next to Lovina.

"And you thought you couldn't dance" he muttered breathlessly as he shifted onto his side. Lovina turned to him and sighed. "Oh shut up bastardo." She murmured as he pulled her closer and pressed his lips against her forehead. His arm wrapped around her torso as she buried her head into his chest. She soon closed her eyes, lulled to sleep by the soft beat of his heart. Antonio smiled as he pulled the sheets over them. "Goodnight, Lovi" he whispered before nodding off while holding her close.

**GUYS I DID IT. I've never written anything…scandalous before. So sorry about this…until next time kiddies…**


	18. Chapter 18

**Yay, new chapter! Get ready for the cheese, cause it's comin. Also, I just want to thank all you guys who read and favorite and follow. It just makes me smile when I see that someone gets a kick out of something I love to do…So muchas gracias, and don't forget to review! Enjoy!**

Sunlight beamed in through the nearby window and filled the room with light. Lovina's eyelids felt heavy as she slowly woke up with a throbbing headache. She quietly cursed herself for drinking too much when she remembered where she was. She suddenly felt the arm that had been wrapped around her and the chest she had been pressed against. Lovina slowly looked up at Antonio, who was still sleeping soundly. The previous night came back to her. "A-Antonio?" she shook his shoulders gently as her voice wavered.

Antonio opened his eyes groggily and shifted so that he could stretch. He glanced at her and smiled. "Good morning Lovi" he greeted her playfully. Lovina felt her cheeks become hot as he propped himself up and looked at her. She gripped the sheets she was using to cover herself tightly. The pounding in her head refused to cease.

Antonio stared at her endlessly, taking the sight of her in. the way she seemed to glow in the sunlight. The soft amber color of her eyes that gave him insight into everything she was feeling. He chuckled as he thought about how easy she could be to read. He could always tell when something was wrong, when she was happy, and his personal favorite, when she was flustered or embarrassed.

Antonio noticed how long her hair had gotten. Now it was almost down to her shoulders. He was glad she was able to grow her hair out. He wanted to see her with long, chestnut hair. Not that she wasn't perfect the way she was. But he was curious.

"You're looking lovely this morning" he purred as he tucked back a piece of her hair. Lovina rolled her eyes and lay down on her back.

"Shut up, bastardo" she mumbled as she stared at the ceiling. He chuckled as he snuck his arm around her waist. He gently kissed her neck and smiled.

"I mean it, Lovi. Would I ever lie to you?" Lovina turned her head away from him as he pulled her closer. He continued to let his lips graze her neck as she sighed.

"Antonio?" she asked tentatively. He paused and looked up at her "Hmmm?" he responded, lacing his fingers in hers. She paused, trying to find the right words.

"Did I…was it…" She exhaled loudly, clearly frustrated. She couldn't remove the redness from her cheeks as she tried to find a way to not make a complete fool of herself. But Antonio was already chuckling. He made her turn and face him.

"Mi amor, you were wonderful" he answered in a sickeningly sweet way. Lovina narrowed her eyes as she pushed him away.

"Don't patronize me Antonio" she warned as she sat up. Antonio gave her a strange look and sat up as well.

"I'm not" he replied, laughing. "Are you really that worried?" he asked, once again intertwining his fingers with hers. But she pulled her hand away as she scowled.

"I don't know anything about this kind of stuff, ok?" she snapped. Antonio leaned back, a concerned look growing on his face. She felt her head ache again. "So I'd appreciate it if you took this seriously."

Lovina felt his hand guide her face to turn toward him. He had an intense look on his face that she wasn't expecting. "I take this very seriously Lovina. I didn't know that this was such a concern."

"Well what did you expect?" she asked quietly, hugging her knees to her chest. "I'm not stupid Antonio. I know you're much more…experienced than I am." She closed her eyes and rested her head on her knees. "I've seen the girls you've hung around with…"

Antonio's cheeks turned pink. He ran a hand through his hair. "I, um..gah, come on Lovi, are you seriously going to compare yourself to other women?" he groaned, covering his face with his hands. Lovina looked back at him, somewhat hurt by his tone. "Lovi, do you think this is the only reason I care about you?" he asked, frustrated with her behavior.

"I don't know…I just…" she hunched forward, unsure of herself. "I don't know. This is all new to me. Not just the whole sex thing, but you and having someone care about me and look out for me. And me caring about someone else." She mentally kicked herself for rambling. Antonio's eyes filled with sympathy as he pulled her onto his lap and rested his chin in the top of her head. She sunk into his arms as he softly rubbed her back. "I should be happy, but I'm just scared. Why am I like this? I don't understand…why do I put myself through this, and drag you down with me? God, I hate myself for doing this, I hate it so much."

Antonio held her tighter and shushed her. "You think too much Lovina. And that's not your fault." He sighed and loosened his grip so that he could look at her. "Having someone care about you should not be a foreign concept. But you don't have to be afraid anymore. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to leave, and I won't ignore you."

Lovina nodded slowly as he leaned his forehead against hers. Antonio gently held her cheek as he kissed her. His hand moved down as she kissed back, resting on her neck. He felt a thin chain under his hand and noticed a small gold cross around her neck. "Lovi, what's this?" he asked as he eyed it. Lovina was confused at first as she followed his gaze, but soon realized what he was staring at. She gently pulled it up over her head and held it out for him to see.

"This? You mean you haven't noticed it before?" she asked him quizzically. He shook his head and raised his eyebrows. "No, I guess it's been under your clothing. And I was a bit distracted last night" he added with a smirk spreading across his face." She rolled her eyes at his immaturity.

"It was my father's. My mother left it for me. You see, my grandpa was involved in some…shady business. And my father was an informant. That's how he met my mother. She was only about my age when she got pregnant. And not too long after he found out, he had to go gather information. But he never made it back…" Antonio nodded as he took her hand. "I'm sorry to hear that…"

Lovina sighed as she moved it around in her palm. "Grandpa hated him. Probably because my mother was so young at the time." Antonio felt a twinge of guilt in his heart. _I'd feel the same way if it was my girl…but Lovi's just as young as her mother was…_he thought as she continued. "It took me forever to find out what really happened to him." Lovina looked at the cross then back at Antonio. She let the corner of her lip pull upward as she wordlessly put it around his neck. His eyes widened as he felt the cross rest on his chest. "Lovi, I can't take this-" he started. But she cut him off with a gentle kiss. "Please, I want you to have it."

Antonio let a mischievous grin grow on his lips. He pushed Lovina down on her back and pressed his lips to hers. He felt her smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Whatever you say Lovi" he muttered breathlessly. Just as they were about to resume last night's activity, a loud voice called from downstairs.

"Toni, you wouldn't answer the door, so I let my awesome self in."

**So fluffity fluff fluff, fluffy Mcfluff fluff. No regrets. I just wanted to say, I hope this chapter felt realistic to you guys. I mean I think it's safe to assume that Lovi is not one to just open up to anyone. And I don't know, I just really get that. I'm not exactly the most trusting person and the world and it really sucks to know that that's not entirely my fault. So while this chapter was kinda cheesy, I tried to make it meaningful…and on that awkward note, DANNEZIONE GILBERT…until next time kiddies…**


	19. Chapter 19

**New chapter, yay! So I would really appreciate it if you guys could send some quick ideas my way. I have a pretty good idea of where this is going to go, but I would absolutely love to incorporate some of your ideas. So remember to review! Enjoy!**

**Ps- zoewinter1: I literally died when I saw how happy you were. I'm glad I fulfilled your spamano needs ya little perv **

"Maldita sea" Antonio groaned. _Why does he have to show up now of all times? _"Gilbert! Go away!" he yelled, making Lovina wince. She rolled her eyes and pushed him off of her. Antonio looked defeated as he slowly sat up.

"Go make sure he doesn't do anything stupid" Lovina mumbled. Antonio nodded his head and got up. Lovina's cheeks felt hot as he stood fully exposed. She tried not to stare, and quickly whipped her head forward as he turned to her, smirking.

"No need to be shy, Lovi" he snickered as he got dressed. Lovina crossed her arms as she continued to look away. "Shut up bastardo" she mumbled as he finished putting on his pants.

"Toni, what's the deal? It's not awesome to keep me waiting." Antonio rolled his eyes as he headed toward the door. "Un minuto for god's sake. It's not like I invited you here" he yelled as he headed downstairs. Lovina watched as he left and noticed he had failed to put on a shirt. "Typical" she murmured as she began to rise. She saw it lying on the floor besides her clothes and picked it up. She couldn't help but notice it smelled like him. Indulging herself, she quickly slipped it on. She chuckled as she saw how big it was on her; it fell right below her knees and the sleeves went past her hands.

She walked over to the nearby mirror to inspect her disheveled state. Her hair was a mess, sticking out at odd angles. She tied it back into a short ponytail and pushed her bangs back. Other than that she didn't look too bad.

Lovina heard the two men laugh downstairs. Her curiosity got the better of her, so she crept downstairs and listened in.

"And then Francis said he woke up with poor Eyebrows nearly on top of him. It was awesome!" she heard the Prussian say. Lovina silently rolled her eyes at Francis's behavior. "You should have been there! Hell, you could've brought Lovi with you! I'd love to see her drunk, kessesse, that would have been awesome!" Again, Lovina rolled her eyes.

"She's quite the sight" she heard the Spaniard reply. Lovina narrowed her eyes. _Oh hell no_ she thought as she continued to listen. Gilbert chuckled.

"Mein gott, you're kidding! What's she like?" Lovina couldn't tell if she was more pissed at the damn Prussian for being so nosy or Antonio for not getting rid of the bastard. "She's much nicer. She even calls me 'Toni'." She was definitely more pissed at Antonio.

Gilbert chuckled. "I can't imagine her as a 'sweet drunk'. I don't think it would suit her." Lovina listened as Antonio laughed. She was just about done with this. "Don't let that fool you mi amigo. She's just as…fiery as ever." Lovina pursed her lips as Gilbert laughed.

"No way, you didn't" he replied suspiciously. Her face was bright red as she stepped out out of embarrassment and fury.

"ANTONIO" she snapped. He immediately stiffened and turned slowly to face her. "H-Hola Lovi…Gil was just leaving…"

Lovina crossed her arms and gritted her teeth. "No, please continue. I insist" she hissed. Gilbert stood by awkwardly, wide-eyed. Both the men remained silent as Lovina tapped her foot. "That's what I thought" she huffed before storming to her room.

"Lovi!" she heard Antonio call as she slammed the door behind her. He sighed and turned to Gilbert. "I'll grab a drink with you some other time Gil." Gilbert chuckled as he walked to the door. "You're in big trouble now Toni." Antonio groaned as he left. "I know…"

Antonio quickly headed upstairs and knocked on Lovina's door. "Lovi, I'm really sorry. I was a complete ass and I shouldn't have said anything." Lovina remained silent. "Lovi?" he whimpered.

"Go away stronzo, I don't want to talk to you!" she shouted from the other side of the door. "Please Lovi" he begged. "I know I was wrong but it won't happen again. Don't be like this."

He heard her snort. "Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe you should get me drunk, since you seem to like me better that way" she snapped. Antonio winced and leaned against the door. "Lovi, that's not what I meant, honest. Now can I please come in?" he reached for the door knob as he waited for a response.

"Open that door and I cut off your cazzo!" she barked. Antonio immediately stepped back, believing her wholeheartedly. He slumped his shoulders as he walked away. "I'm so sorry Lovi…"

Lovina spent the rest of the day hanging around the house, avoiding Antonio. When she did come across him, she gave him the death glare, brushed him off, or ignored him altogether. And Antonio tried to get on her good side again. Oh God did he try. He brought her food, rubbed her neck, held her, kissed her, anything he could think of. But she just gave him blank stares in return.

She went to bed early that night. As soon as she crawled into bed, she heard a knock on the door. "I thought I told you to go away bastardo." Antonio ignored her and walked in anyways. He sat down on the bed beside her. Lovina didn't move a muscle.

"Lovi, I said I'm sorry" she laughed dryly and rolled on her side. "Trust me, I know." He lay a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off. Antonio then pulled her back over toward him. "C'mon Lovi" he cooed as he slid on top of her, letting his hips press against hers. "You can't stay mad at me forever" he murmured as he kissed her jaw.

"I can stay mad at you tonight" she replied curtly. She let him continue kissing her down her neck until he paused to look back to her. She stared at him, unimpressed. "Are you done?" she asked dryly. Antonio groaned and sat up.

"Lovi, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have said anything. You're completely right and I'm wrong. Now will you please forgive me?" He leaned down again as he grinned mischievously. "I'll let you punish me however you want" he added in a sing-song voice. Lovina raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Is that so?" Antonio pressed his lips against hers in response. Lovina kissed back and pulled away so she could bring her lips to his ear. "Then get the hell out" she whispered before shoving him away, causing him to fall off the bed and onto the floor with a thud.

"Lovi, that's not fair!' she heard him whine from the ground. She quickly popped her head over the side of the bed as she smiled.

"Adios muchacho" she responded as she waved him off. Antonio sat up on his knees and held her hands in his. "Ok, fine. I deserved that. But please let me stay. I won't try anything I swear." Lovina stared at him for a moment. Honestly, she wasn't even all that angry anymore. She sighed, deciding he had learned his lesson. "Fine" she groaned as she made room for him. "If you do try anything, I'll castrate you. And don't think I'm kidding either" she warned as he crawled in next to her.

"I know, I know" he replied groggily. He slowly inched closer as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his lips against her neck and sighed softly. "Antonio" Lovina whispered.

"Hmm?" he hummed lightly in response as he continued to kiss her from behind. Lovina raised her hand and made a snipping gesture. Antonio groaned and scooted away. "Dammit Lovi" he muttered as she chuckled.

"Goodnight Antonio."

"Goodnight Lovina."

**Yay for sexually frustrated Antonio! Remember Toni, loose lips sink ships…GET IT. CAUSE SPAMANO IS A SHIP…and he…well he didn't destroy it…but he ain't getting any…so yeah…till next time kiddies…**

**PS- quick translations: Maldita sea= damn it in Spanish, strozo=asshole in Italian (I've used it in previous chapters), cazzo=penis (teehee)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Yay for CHAPTER 20! WOOT WOOT! Thanks so much for following and favoriting and reviewing! It really means a lot! Enjoy!**

The next morning, Lovina woke up alone. She figured Antonio had already gotten up and headed downstairs. She smelled something delicious coming from the kitchen and, naturally, went inside. She found Antonio standing over the stove. She quietly walked over and peered around him. he smiled as he glanced at her. "Good morning Lovi."

"What are you making bastardo?" she asked as she stared at the strange sauce he was making. He chuckled as he grabbed a spoon.

"It's to go along with the torrijas. Try some." He put a little on the spoon and brought it to Lovina's mouth. She slowly tasted it and cringed.

"Ay, Dio mio Antonio. It's too sweet" she said as she shook her head. Antonio frowned and pouted. She grabbed the spoon from him and rolled her eyes. "You don't believe me? Here" she said, shoving a spoonful into his mouth. He shook his head as he pulled it out. "Not my best work…"

She sighed and waved him off. "Move" she ordered as she prepared to take over. Antonio chuckled, somewhat amused by her determination. "Go grab cream, rosemary, and red pepper." Antonio gave her a quizzical look as he went to get what she had asked for.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked as he placed the items beside her. She nodded and turned down the heat. "Never ask Feli to make panna cotta. It's worse than this." She quickly poured a good amount of cream into the pan. "I hated the way he made it. It was always drenched in sugar." Lovina made a disgusted face as she concentrated on the pan in front of her. "So I learned how to make it less disgusting."

Antonio wrapped his arms around her waist as she picked apart the rosemary. She raised an eyebrow as she worked. "You're getting in the way."

He chuckled and rested his chin on her shoulder. She smiled softly as he pressed his lips against her cheek. "You'll work around it" he responded as he watched. She continued to stir as the concoction slowly bubbled. "Hand me a knife Antonio."

He gave her a playfully suspicious look as he slowly reached for one. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Just give it to me bastardo." He obeyed and observed as she seeded and finely chopped the thin red pepper.

"You're sure about this Lovi?" Lovina smirked as she glanced back at him. "I took out the seeds so it won't be too hot. And anyways, I thought you liked a little spice, Antonio." He grinned mischievously and held her tighter.

"Trust me belleza. I do" he muttered as he kissed her neck. "Now can I try it?" he asked reaching for the pan with a spoon. But Lovina grabbed the wooden spoon she had been using and smacked his hand away.

"No, it's not ready yet. Really, how old are you again bastardo? Keep your paws away from my cooking." He smiled at how adorable her concentration in the kitchen was. "Technically, it's my cooking Lovi."

She snorted as she placed the pepper in the pan. "Yeah and it was a train wreck before I came along, much like you." He laughed and squeezed her.

"That's cold Lovi. You really got me on that one." She smirked and turned down the heat again. "I try." Antonio kissed her neck again as she stirred. She felt his hand slowly wander upward.

"Antonio…" she warned. "What, am I distracting?" he snickered. She rolled her eyes and pried his arms off of her. "Go get some cheese cloth."

She sighed as he gave her a confused look. "Do you want chunky sauce?" she asked. He quickly grabbed what she asked for as she got a bowl. She gingerly laid the cloth over the bowl and picked the heavy pan up. Antonio placed his hands on hers and helped her lift it over the bowl. They let the caramel colored liquid pour slowly into the bowl as Antonio's eyes lit up. He set the pan down as she removed and discarded the cloth.

Antonio handed her the plate with the Spanish pastry and watched as she gingerly drizzled her handiwork onto their breakfast. Antonio eagerly grabbed a fork and picked a piece away. "And now for the moment of truth" he declared as he slowly took a bite. Lovina waited for a reaction.

He smiled as he chewed. "I might have to ruin breakfast more often." He fed her a forkful and she grinned, pleased with her work. She had toned down the sweetness and created a nice, smooth syrup with a little kick at the end. "I told you I knew what I was doing" she boasted. He smirked as she took another bite.

"You got a little something…" he said pointing to the corner of his mouth as she swallowed. She tilted her head in confusion. Antonio shook his head and kissed her. She smiled as she felt his tongue gently sweep across her upper lip. She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer. Antonio stepped back for a moment. "One second…" He said as he looked around mischievously. "Gil, you here?" he hollered. When there was no response, he stepped toward her again and smirked.

"No interruptions…" he said before pulling her out of the kitchen. Lovina couldn't stifle her laughter as he led her upstairs. Her heart raced as he pressed her against the wall. He slowly began to slide her thin nightgown down off her shoulders. She let him lift her legs and wrap them around his waist. He quickly carried her over to the bed and set himself on top of her.

This time, they knew exactly what they were doing.

**This has got to be the cutest thing I have ever created. Hands down….until next time kiddies….**

**PS- torrijas are like Spanish French toast. And panna cotta is like an Italian pudding. Yay for cooking! It sucks being German-Irish. All I get is potatoes and beer. Oh well**


	21. Chapter 21

**New chapter! Read, review, etc. enjoy!**

Lovina glanced out the window as she heard small drops of rain lightly hit the glass. She loved afternoons like this. She couldn't understand why everyone hated rainy days. Why they hated the way everything cooled down. Why they hated an excuse to stay inside and lounge around. Lovina wasn't very fond of storms. But she loved rain.

The steady rhythm of the drops relaxed her while she lay next to Antonio. They were both unusually quiet, but at that moment they really didn't need to speak. Her head against his chest and his arms around her said enough. Lovina smiled as she felt Antonio's thumb lightly stroke her hip.

Antonio, however, wouldn't let his mind rest. He glanced down at the girl lying beside him. He'd had the same thought in the back of his head for awhile. He tried to ignore it the best he could, but now it wouldn't stop eating at him.

"Lovi?" he finally asked. Lovina almost jumped at the sudden break in silence. "Hm?" she responded lazily. Antonio was quiet again for a couple of seconds before asking another question. "When were you going to tell me the truth?"

Lovina felt her stomach drop. She was afraid he'd try to talk about this. "I-It doesn't matter Antonio. What difference does it make?" she heard him sigh and hoped he'd given up. But instead, she felt him lift her chin, forcing her to look at him. He had a bit of an annoyed look on his face.

"Nice try" he said dryly. Lovina looked away as she thought about her answer. Antonio was definitely not comforted by her silence. "I…I don't know" she answered quietly. She glanced back up at him. She wasn't sure what he was feeling. For once, she couldn't tell what exactly he was thinking.

"I think the better question is if you were ever going to tell me on your own" he said softly. Lovina's eyes gave away her uncertainty. Antonio removed his hand from her face and turned away. "What was your plan if you were never going to say anything, Lovi?" he asked, sounding somewhat disappointed. Lovina couldn't look at him as she remembered what she did plan to do.

"I was going to leave. Disappear…" she whispered. She built up the courage to finally look back at him. and the expression on his face shattered her heart. He looked shocked, confused, hurt, and devastated. All emotions that she never wanted him to feel.

"Lovi that can't be true…" She slowly turned away, letting her guilt consume her. What was she thinking? She could've lied and said she just didn't think that far ahead. Why did she tell the truth? Maybe because she knew it wasn't true anymore. Because he deserved the truth. Because things turned out better than she had ever dreamed.

When she finally faced him, he was resting his forehead in his palm. "If you had left, Lovi," he started, shaking his head. He almost couldn't finish. "I don't know…I just don't know..." Lovina quickly leaned forward and kissed him before he could continue. She was glad to have his arms back around her as he kissed back. Antonio pulled away and rested his head in the crook of her neck.

"You don't still want to-" he started.

"Shut up" Lovina interrupted as she ran her hand through his hair and tried not to think about the drops falling onto her shoulder. She was relieved to hear him softly chuckle.

"Thank you Lovi" he murmured quietly. Lovina nodded and looked out the window again. She really loved rainy days.

**3 months later**

"Lovi, hurry up!" Antonio shouted from downstairs. He wanted to leave before it started getting dark. The less time they spent out in the open at night the better. There had been reports of a certain masked man out and about again.

"Calm down bastardo! I'm almost ready!" she hollered back. Antonio sighed and rolled his eyes. Meanwhile, Lovina stood nervously in front of the mirror. Francis was having a small party and had invited both Antonio and Lovina. The only problem was the latter's lack of social experience.

Though she'd never admit it, she wanted people to like her. But she didn't know anything about this kind of stuff. She practically grew up on the streets and worked her whole life, unlike the girls she knew she'd inevitably have to meet. Lovina supposed she looked the part in the dress Francis had bought her what felt like ages ago. But still, there was no hiding the fact that she wasn't very lady like.

Lovina groaned as she stomped down the stairs. _What do I care what people think? _she huffed as she reached the bottom. Antonio's eyes lit up as he stared at her. "Lovi, you'll be the prettiest girl there" he beamed as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Whatever" she mumbled, trying not to let on how much his words comforted her. At least she'd have him through this endeavor. "Are we going or what?" she grumbled. He laughed and led her out.

"It'll be fun, I promise" he said reassuringly as they approached the door. Lovina rolled her eyes as she kicked herself for agreeing to come. Antonio softly knocked and the door was immediately torn open by Francis.

"Bon jour mon ami!" he shouted, appearing to be a bit tipsy. "And bon jour my little ingénue" he added, eyeing Lovina. "I'm so glad you came! Come inside." Antonio pulled Lovina in. there were more people than she expected, and she couldn't help but feel like they were all watching her. It seemed kind of loud, what with the music and excessive chatting.

Lovina held firmly onto Antonio's arm as he introduced her to some people he knew. There was an extremely tall man and his two sisters, a pair of twin brother and sister by the names of Alfred and Maddie, a somewhat terrifying British man, and a group of rowdy Nordics (to name a few).

Lovina was relieved when Gilbert approached her with another man by his side. "Lovi, you came! That's awesome! Where is Toni?" Lovina smiled, thinking she'd never be happier to see this bastard making a scene.

"He went to grab some drinks. Who's this?" she asked eyeing the blonde-haired, blue eyed man in front of her. He stepped forward and stuck out his hand. "Ludwig. I'm Gilbert's younger brother." She tentatively shook his hand.

"But you don't appear to be an obnoxious ass like him…" She caught the corner of his mouth pulling up as Gilbert pouted.

"Yes, you'll have to excuse my brother. I'm sorry, what was your name?"

"Lovina Vargas." Ludwig's eyes widened slightly. "Vargas?" he asked nervously. Lovina nodded her head.

"yes…why do you seem so shocked?" Lovina swore she saw him blush as he began to look away. She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to answer.

"You see, I know Feli...I mean Feliciano…if you'll excuse me…" he trailed off before walking away. Gilbert watched his brother leave. "That's weird. Never seen him act that way before. Oh well." He shrugged and turned away. "I'm going to go find Toni."

"Gilbert, wait!" Lovina tried to call after him but was drowned out by the crowd that now separated them. She looked around, desperate for a familiar face. She hated how helpless she felt without Gilbert or Francis or Antonio.

Just before she was about to walk off, she felt someone tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Maddie, the girl she met earlier, along with a few other women. "You seem lost…" she stated.

Lovina sighed. "I don't know anyone here except for Gil, Francis and Antonio, and I have no idea where any of them are…" she admitted. Maddie crinkled her nose.

"They're the only ones you know? I feel kinda bad for you. They're probably off with the other men. But you can stay with us I guess." _Great, a judgmental pack of spoiled brats_ Lovina thought as she nodded.

She hung back while the women talked, bashing this person, gossiping about that person. She wasn't really paying attention until one of them cleared her throat. "Lovina, I asked where you were from."

Lovina snapped back into the conversation. It was the younger sister of the tall man, Ivan, who had addressed her. "O-Oh. I'm from Italy…" she heard some of the women whispering. _They know one thing besides my name and they're already gossiping?_

"I see" the scary looking young woman continued. "I hear you came with Antonio?" Lovina gulped. She really didn't want to tell these people anything more about herself, so she just nodded.

"How do you know him? are you engaged or something?" someone else asked. Lovina's face felt hot.

"N-no I, uh we…" Lovina panicked as she was bombarded with more questions. Where do you live, what does your father do, are you being courted, questions that Lovina couldn't fully answer. It was so frustrating because they didn't care about her. They just wanted something new to talk about. Oh, she'd give them something to talk about.

"Shut up!" Lovina snapped. "For god's sake, I worked for the bastard then he found out I'm a girl. And now, well shit I don't even know what you'd label it" she groaned. Lovina immediately regretted her outburst. The others stared at her. Lovina could feel them snickering. "I have to go..." she said quietly as she walked away.

_Damnit Toni, where are you? _She finally found him but stopped short when she saw another woman approach him. Her heart stopped as he gave her a huge grin and looked her up and down. The woman wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him.

**UH OH. UNTIL NEXT TIME KIDDIES…**


	22. Chapter 22

**Yay, new chapter! Review, favorite and follow (as always)! Emphasis on review. I love hearing from you! Enjoy!**

Lovina didn't know if she wanted to cry or punch the bitch in the nose. Before she could decide, she felt someone grab her arm. It was the British man. He had a panicked look on his face. "Will you dance with me?" he asked quickly.

"What? I-" she looked back at Antonio, who was still with that the other girl. Fighting back tears, Lovina nodded her head and followed the man. He smiled as he gently held her hand and placed his on her back.

"Thank you so much, I've been trying to get away from Francis all night."

"If, you're so desperate to get away from him, why did you come?" she asked, still watching Antonio. Her heart sank as she saw him laugh the way he did around her. The British man chuckled. "It's complicated. I'm Arthur by the way."

Lovina nodded quickly. "Lovina. Now what can you tell me about that woman?" she asked, pointing at the girl with Antonio. Arthur smiled. "That's Bella." Arthur's smile soon faded. "Of course she's with Carriedo" he grumbled rolling his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Lovina asked quickly. She tried to look at them again. They were still laughing. "Well they grew up together. Childhood sweethearts if I recall correctly." Lovina immediately walked away from Arthur without another word. She quickly headed back to Antonio. He smiled when he saw her.

"Lovi! I've been looking everywhere for you!" he said, standing. Lovina took a step back, trying to stay composed.

"Don't you lie to me" she responded bitterly. Bella backed away hesitantly. "I don't think we've met. I'm Bella." Lovina looked at Antonio, who seemed oblivious. "This is Lovina. Sorry, she's kind of shy." Lovina wanted to smack him into next week. Before she could, Bella laughed. Lovina hated her laugh. It was too cheery for her. It actually reminded her of Antonio…

"That's ok. It was great to see you again Toni." Lovina winced when she heard Bella call him by his nickname. She bit her lip as she watched Bella squeeze his arm too affectionately. Antonio noticed how disheartened Lovina looked and chuckled nervously. "Well bye" he said as she walked away.

"Are you ok Lovi?" he asked as he turned back toward the Italian. His eyes widened when he saw her. Sure she looked sad before he turned away, but now she looked devastated. "Lovi?..."

"I'm going home" Lovina said quietly as she turned around. She felt Antonio put his hand on her shoulder. She pushed it away and heard him sigh behind her. "We'll talk when we get back, Lovi."

Lovina headed straight for the stairs as soon as they got home. But Antonio grabbed her before she made it. "Alright, what's wrong?" she glared at him past the tears in her eyes.

"Who is Bella?" Antonio was surprised by her question. "She is a friend of mine from when I was younger" Lovina gripped his collar tightly.

"Please God tell me Arthur was lying when he told me you were more than friends." Antonio's mouth opened then snapped shut as he looked away. "What were you doing with Arthur?" he replied softly.

Lovina released him and backed away. "Maybe you'd know if you weren't reuniting with your lost love." Antonio's eyes widened in fear.

"Lovi, no! you don't understand-"

"Yes I do!" she snapped, cutting him off."Where were you all night? You just abandoned me Antonio! You knew how I felt! And now," she laughed bitterly as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Now I'm the source of those stupid rich bitches amusement. Dannazione, I made a complete fool out of myself while you were off reconnecting with her."

Antonio stepped back, hurt. "Lovi, how could you think I would ever betray you? What kind of a man do you think I am?" he was nearly shouting now. "She was a friend, and I have the right to be around her!"

Lovina narrowed her eyes. "I never accused you of professing your love to her" she hissed. "But I needed you tonight, and you weren't there!" Antonio looked away, only making Lovina more upset. "And then, you lie to me, pretending you had been looking for me when I knew damn well you hadn't! For God's sake Antonio, how am I supposed to feel when tonight, you cared more about her than you did me?!"

Antonio's head snapped up and he grabbed her shoulders desperately. "Lovina, that's not true!" Her heart sank as he searched her eyes. What right did she have to be mad with him? She had said it herself; what were they? He wasn't obligated to do anything, or be anything for her. Lovina's chin dropped as he held her shoulders. "I'm sorry" she replied softly.

"Lovina, you have nothing to be sorry for! I'm the idiot, I'm the ass! Please stop acting like this, you're scaring me!" Lovina picked her head up and looked at him. Her eyes seemed distant as she gave him a sad smile. "Who am I to act like I own you, like you're mine? You were so happy when you saw her Antonio." Antonio cupped her cheeks with both hands. "Lovina, stop talking like this" he begged. She ignored him.

"I can't even carry on a half decent conversation with anyone else" she continued as her eyes widened and filled with tears. "And I'm so mean. Oh god, I'm terrible Antonio." She stared at him in horror. He shook her gently, trying to snap her out of it. "Lovina stop! Listen to me! You've got to stop this! You're not thinking clearly!" Antonio was increasingly afraid he was losing her. "Lovi listen to me, she's nothing compared to you! Whatever she and I had was over a long time ago and it's nothing compared to what we have now! Are you listening to me?"

"What do we have, Antonio? What do I have to offer to you?" she replied softly. She realized how much those girls had gotten through to her. There had always been a degree of uncertainty in the back of her mind, but up until now she had pushed it away. Nothing in her life had been constant or at the very least normal.

She hadn't even noticed the drops falling from Antonio's eyes. His hands her shaking as they pulled her against him. He let one arm hug her waist as he pulled her head to his chest. His heart was beating almost as fast as hers. He leaned his cheek against the top of her head and squeezed her. "I love you so much Lovi."

Lovina's doubts and fears vanished. She wasn't sure if she'd ever heard those words before. She let her sobs break through as she clung to him. He tried to stay composed himself as her body shook against him.

Antonio felt so helpless. All he could do was hold her and try to convince her that everything was ok. But that was all she needed. She breathed heavily as she tried to speak. "Mi dispiace ... Mi dispiace tanto ... Antonio ... Sono un idiota ... perché devo sempre fare questo? Sono così dispiace." Antonio sighed and rubbed her back.

"Just try to calm down Lovi, you know I can't understand a word you're saying." She sniffed as she uttered a word he did understand. "B-Bastardo." Antonio chuckled and held her tighter.

"It's good to have you back Lovi. I thought I'd lost you there for awhile. Let's go upstairs." Lovina nodded and held onto him. He rolled his eyes and mumbled a "Fine" as he scooped her up. Lovina immediately rested her head against his chest once again as he headed up the stairs.

"How old are you again?" he asked, smirking. Lovina rolled her eyes. "Shut up" she mumbled. Antonio laughed.

"Yep, she's back" he said to himself as he set her down in his room, which they now practically shared. He helped her out of her dress and let her change into something more comfortable while he sat on the bed and toyed with something in his pocket. Lovina was still sniffling when she eyed him suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

Antonio smiled at her in a way she'd never seen him smile. "It's just something I've been keeping with me for awhile" he answered. "Don't worry about it. Now come here" he added, opening his arms. Lovina rolled her eyes as she approached him. She sat down next to Antonio and let him place her legs over his lap. He gently traced her jaw with his thumb before gently placing a kiss on her forehead. "Do you love me?" he asked hesitantly.

Lovina nodded quickly. "Ti amo" she said before kissing him back. She then pulled away and sighed. "I'm tired Toni." He laughed as he saw her eyes droop.

"Go to sleep Lovi" he said as he guided her head to the pillow. Antonio gently laid his arm around her as she drifted off, exhausted and emotionally drained.

**Whoo, that was a doozy. But I'm glad with how it turned out, even though it felt kinda hard to write. I hope you liked it! Until next time kiddies…**

**Translations:**

**Mi dispiace ... Mi dispiace tanto ... Antonio ... Sono un idiota ... perché devo sempre fare questo? Sono così dispiace: I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…Antonio…I'm such an idiot…why do I always do this? I'm so, so sorry**

**Ti amo: I love you (daaawwwww)**

**Also: If you weren't aware or missed them, here's the other nations featured in the previous chapter were Ivan (Russia), Natalia (Belarus), ****Yekaterina**** (Ukraine), Alfred (America), Maddie (fem!canada), plus the Nordics as a whole (sorry, I got lazy). And Bella is Belgium. So yeah.**


	23. Chapter 23

**New chapter, yay! Remember to read and review and whatnot. **

**NerdyFairytale113: I am honored by your dedication. A hearty welcome to you from my fic.**

**TheAwesomeStecca: PRAISE JEEBUS I AM SO GLAD I WAS ABLE TO GET THAT ACROSS. Fun fact; that chapter was originally supposed to be super lighthearted and whatnot. But then I decided to be evil. And yes, you know how I love the fluff.**

**Zoewinter1: No Spanish asses need to be kicked, just admired and tapped. **

"_Sorella! Where'd you go?!" Lovina was sprinting through the streets, desperately searching for her brother. She heard his voice calling out for her but he was nowhere to be seen. Her vision blurred as she pushed forward. She felt heavy, like the weight of the air around her was slowly crushing her. Her running slowed and her knees fell to the ground. She had been reduced to crawling._

"_Feliciano" she called out hoarsely. Her heart pounded when she didn't hear any response. This all felt so familiar, yet there was nothing she could do. Feli was missing and his screams sounded painful. She knew he was in agony. Lovina felt absolutely helpless as she continued to crawl onward._

_There was still no sign of Feliciano. Just as she was about to give up, another man uttered a terrifying scream. It sent shivers up and down her spine as she tried to recognize the voice. Everything was happening so fast, like the world was compressing around her. She heard Feliciano cry, this time along with a woman's voice. For some reason, she knew exactly whose voice that was, though she had never heard it before._

"_Madre?" she cried. Her head pounded as she completely collapsed, unable to move. Her whole body ached. Lovina lifted her head and saw a man standing in front of her. She instantly recognized the deep green eyes that stared past her. _

_Before she could call for him, a man came from behind him. Lovina tried to warn him, but she couldn't form the words. She lay there helplessly as the green eyed man fell in front of her, soaked in blood. She tried to reach out to him, but her body was too tired to move._

"Lovi!"

_Lovina's eyes flickered around her. She knew that voice, but-_

"Lovina!"

_Lovina looked back at the man lying in front of her. It wasn't possible, she saw him die right in front of her. She felt her whole world shake as she cried._

"Lovina, wake up!"

Lovina bolted up, gasping for air. Her hair was plastered to her face after sweating profusely as her whole body shook. Antonio was still gripping her shoulders as she regained her composure. He knew to give her space on this morning.

Lovina pushed her hair out of her face as she caught her breath. She slowly turned to Antonio who was lightly rubbing her back. "Is it…?" Antonio nodded lightly.

"Yeah." He gave her a weak smile. "Feliz cumpleaños Lovi."

Lovina prolonged heading down the stairs as much as possible. She was still embarrassed of this "episode" she had the night before her birthday. She started having the nightmare her first birthday after her grandfather left.

She frowned as she remembered her first birthday living with Antonio. He did his very best to comfort her, but she just pushed him away for the most part. She felt guilty, looking back on how cold she had been toward him.

Usually, the dream didn't bother her. She had grown used to it, as it remained the same each year. But this time was different. Antonio had never been in her dream before. She tried to forget about it, as she did every year.

She walked toward the stairs in a simple black dress to wait for Feliciano and was greeted by Antonio waiting for her at the bottom. She silently walked down to meet him, avoiding eye contact. "Good morning Lovi" he said before giving her a soft kiss. "You should probably eat before you leave." Lovina followed him into the kitchen and saw a plate already set out for her.

Antonio watched her eat, looking for any signs of stress. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked hesitantly. She shook her head. "No" she responded quickly. Antonio nodded and let her continue.

But Lovina sighed and turned to him. "You were there this time…"she said quietly. Antonio's eyes widened as he let out a soft 'oh' and stepped closer to her.

"I wish there was something I could do" Antonio murmured as he scratched the back of his head. Lovina sighed and stood up. "Maybe someday it'll go away" she assured him. He gave her a hopeful smile as he cupped her cheeks. Before he could say anything, they heard a cheerful voice ring throughout the house.

"Buon compleanno sorella!" Lovina quickly walked out to greet her brother. He nearly tackled her with a hug. Lovina groaned as he squeezed her. "Buon compleanno Feli, now get off." Feliciano released her and gave her a huge smile. "You ready to go, sorella?" Lovina rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Hold on!" Antonio called before they left. Lovina groaned and faced him. "What is it, Bastardo?" Antonio placed his hands on her shoulders and sighed.

"I know how important this is to you and your brother, and I would never want to get in the way of your tradition…" Lovina folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "But…?" she asked quizzically.

"But…I don't like you going out alone." Lovina groaned and pouted. "Antonio, I'll be fine. Stop worrying so much." She tried to brush his hands off, but they remained firmly on her shoulders.

"I promise I won't interfere with anything. I respect your privacy completely, but I would prefer you let me walk you at least into town. Lovina glared at him.

"Fine. But only because you'd follow us anyway." He smiled and moved one of his hands up to her cheek. "That's my Lovi, always so smart" he said while he smirked. Antonio gently pressed his lips against hers, but was quickly pushed away.

"Antonio!" Lovina hissed. Antonio tilted his head, confused by her behavior. He then saw her eyes wander over to Feliciano as her face turned bright red. Antonio too looked at the Italian boy, who could barely contain his glee.

"I knew it Lovi! You found someone! Grandpa would be so happy!" Lovina snorted as she grabbed her brother's arm and headed for the door. "It's my birthday, remember? So don't bring that stronzo up. Pus I bet he wouldn't even noticed if I got married and had 20 kids, so shut up" she grumbled, pulling Feliciano along.

Antonio chuckled as he followed the siblings out the door. _20 might be a bit too much_ he thought as he caught up with the two and fell into step along side Lovina.

**Yay for…babies? I dunno. I hope you enjoyed! Until next time kiddies…**


	24. Chapter 24

**New chapter, yay! Be sure to review! I challenge you all to come up with a suggestion/ a character you want to see! Also, shout out to TheAwesomeStecca who makes me smile and fills my heart with joy when she says the nicest things! Grazie! Anyhoo, Enjoy!**

Lovina had never been religious. Even thought her family was catholic, she never found comfort in God, especially after all she had been through. She refused to believe that anyone else had helped her throughout her hardships. She may not be the sweetest, prettiest or most talented girl, but she knew she was strong willed, so she wouldn't let anyone take credit for that, even if they were a divine being.

But every year, Feliciano insisted they visit the nearest church on their birthday. She wasn't particularly fond of the tradition, but she knew it made Feliciano happy. She'd always listened while he prayed for her, their parents, and grandpa. Each year, she felt kind of guilty when her heart wasn't completely into it. It meant so much to Feliciano, so she tried her very hardest to fake her way through it.

Antonio and Feliciano chatted for most of the walk while Lovina listened silently. She hated her birthday. It just made her think about the parents she never really got to meet. It also made her bitter. Feliciano was always the one who was fussed over when their grandfather was still around. It made Lovina feel guilty when she thought of how she resented her brother over something that wasn't exactly his fault.

"Lovi!"

Lovina was pulled from her thoughts when she heard her name. She looked at Antonio with a dazed expression as he walked beside her. "W-What?"

Antonio smiled and rolled his eyes. "I asked how long you think you'll be out today." Lovina peered over at her brother who was, of course, smiling like an idiot.

"I don't know, a while I guess…" Lovina looked up and realized they were approaching the small town. Antonio reached into his pocket. "Take as much time as you need. And here," he pulled out a small pouch of coins. "You two can grab something to eat."

"Thank you Antonio!" Feliciano cheered. Lovina frowned. But Antonio cut her off before she could protest. "Lovi it's your birthday. I won't hear it." Lovina rolled her eyes and scowled. Antonio laughed and shook his head. "You've got to be the only girl I know who doesn't want to be spoiled."

The three finally arrived at the front of the church. It was small, nothing like the big cathedral back home. But Feli adored it. It was so homey to him. Antonio said goodbye and promised to meet them at that spot by 3:00. He departed after giving Lovi a quick kiss.

Feliciano chuckled as he and his sister entered the church. "So sorella, are you going to have to go to a confessional?" asked with a smirk. Lovi gave him a light shove and rolled her eyes. "I already got Francis giving me shit; I don't need it from you to."

Feliciano smiled as they kneeled before a statue of Mary. Lovina had to admit, she really admired the idol. The woman carved from pure white marble stood out among the small, worn down church. She was smiling with her arms open, as if she was ready to embrace anyone.

Lovina saw her brother bow his head and followed his lead. He opened an eye and peered at her. "Why don't you start this year sorella?" Lovina groaned and closed her eyes. "You know I'm not good at this sort of thing Feli." Her brother turned to her and gave her his best pathetic looking face.

"Please!" he begged. She muttered a 'fine' and bowed her head once again. "Um… dear god, thank you for Feli, and Elizaveta, and Gil and Francis, and all our friends. I'd say thanks for our family, but you decided to take them away from us…" Feliciano sighed, annoyed by his sister's attitude.

"At least you let me keep Feli. So thanks. And don't you dare take him either. I know it's tempting because he's a saint or whatever. But please don't kill off anyone else I like, because that would make me really unhappy. I hope Mama and papa are in heaven. From what I've heard, they were really nice. I'm sorry I don't believe in you as much as I should. But Feli does. So you should listen to him, he's the good one. He's the one you need to watch over." Lovina sighed and paused for a moment. "And if you're there and ignore everything I just said, please hear this. Please…keep Antonio safe. And happy. I swear if you take him away, I'll kick your ass. Amen."

Feli sighed and looked at his sister. "That wasn't very nice Lovi. Do you think god likes hearing people say they want to kick his ass?" Lovina smirked and looked back up at the statue of Mary. "I never said I wanted to, I just said I would if he tries anything stupid." Feliciano shook his head as he bowed.

"Dear Lord, please forgive my sorella. She's really a nice person, even if she doesn't let it show. She deserves heaven as much as anyone! Thank you for Lizzie and Roderich and Francis and Gilbert and…Ludwig." Lovina opened her eyes and turned to her brother. He looked almost…scared. "I know right now maybe I'm a sinner but I just don't know. I do know I'm happy and I think that's what you want. So I don't see how it's a sin!" Lovina's eyes widened as her brother smiled.

"Feli? What do you mean?" Feliciano opened his eyes and faced his sister, still looking scared and timid. "In the bible it says 'man and woman'. But I don't see how that's right. I mean it may be for some people, but does it have to be that way?" Lovina gave her brother a small smile and kissed his cheek.

"No Feli, it doesn't. Whatever makes you happy is right." Feliciano smiled and continued his prayer. "Anyways, all the people in our lives are wonderful! So please keep them safe. Especially Lovi. And Antonio. It's a miracle, God! I've never seen sorella this happy before! I hope she's been able to open up to someone, because lord knows she needs it. Or I guess you know she needs it. Well, I love you, and jesus, and everybody! Amen!" Feli smiled confidently, pleased with his prayer. But his smile faded fast as he looked at his sister.

"Lovina, are you crying?" Lovina shook her head as she wiped the small tears from her eyes. "N-no, don't be stupid!" Lovina felt so guilty. She realized that she hadn't been there for him as much as she should've these past few months. Yet he spoke so highly of her. She'd never understand her brother.

"Feli, can I ask you something?" Feliciano took his sister's hands in his own and smiled. "Of course you can sorella!" Lovina looked at her brother sincerely. "Have you been hurting, or confused without me knowing?" Feiciano's smile faltered as he looked away.

"Sometimes, there are things you need to do by yourself Lovi. I will always love you, but I need to do things on my own. You've always looked out for me. But it's time for me to grow up Lovi." Lovina's eyes widened. Was that really her brother speaking? Lovina nodded her head and hugged Feliciano. "Thank you Feli."  
He smiled and squeezed her. "Anything for you sorella." The two rose and left the small church. Lovina felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. _Maybe this tradition wasn't so bad after all…_

**Yay for Jesus! Fun fact: a small part of me-scratch that- a SIGNIFICANT part of me really wanted Feli to push his way in between Lovi and Antonio and scream MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS. But for some odd reason I didn't think that would've fit in well…until next time kiddies…**


	25. Chapter 25

**New chapter! Sorry it took awhile, gotta love APs. But its here! Remember to review/follow/favorite (as usual). Enjoy!**

The Italian siblings walked back into the street, greeted by the sun. Feliciano smiled as he held onto his sister's hand. "Ve! So what do you want to do sorella?" Lovina looked around at the crowd of people in front of her. It was a busy day today, and Lovina hated crowds. "I don't know, let's just get away from all these people" she grumbled. Lovina stumbled as her brother pulled her forward.

"Let's walk around! Have some fun, si?" Lovina nodded as her brother dragged her along. Many shop owners were familiar with her brother and were cordial enough. Feli took some time to chat while Lovina listened. They grabbed lunch at a small café and Lovina listened to him talk about all that had happened recently. It wasn't really that exciting, but Lovina did her best to listen. She was more than willing to follow her silly brother around and listen to him, at least for today. It was his birthday after all, and her time was the least she could give him.

Lovina continued to absent-mindedly let her brother pull her along until she walked right into him. he had stopped walking and was frozen still. Lovina gave him a quizzical stare as a smile spread across his face. She followed his gaze and saw the back of a tall young man with blonde hair. Feliciano released his sister's hand and ran over to hug the man from behind. The man slowly turned, and Lovina recognized him as Gilbert's brother. She narrowed her eyes at him as she walked over to the pair. She didn't like how he hugged her brother.

"Hey, hands off of Feli." Ludwig looked up at the girl in confusion. He widened his eyes and released Feliciano. "I, um…sorry…It's nice to see you Lovina…" Feliciano's face lit up as he turned back to his sister. "You know Ludwig sorella? That's fantastic! Isn't he great?!" Ludwig let a small blush creep on his cheeks while the Italian girl eyed him. "Yeah, he's wonderful." She stepped forward and glared at the German who was growing increasingly uncomfortable. "Listen stronzo," Lovina poked his chest threateningly and stared him down. Well stared him up. He completely towered over her, yet she still found a way to intimidate him

"You hurt my brother, I shove a boot the size of Italy up your culo. We clear?" Ludwig rolled his eyes. "You have nothing to worry about, I assure you." Lovina shoved him back a little. "Don't test me stronzo." Feliciano inserted himself between his sister and the German. "That's not very nice Sorella. I'm not mean to Antonio like that."

Lovina's face started to turn red. "I-you-…oh shut up" she scowled as she crossed her arms. Ludwig nodded triumphantly. "So what brings you into town today Feli?" Ludwig smiled at the Italian again as Lovina rolled her eyes.

"It's our birthday!" he cheered as he placed an arm across his sister's shoulders. Ludwig's head drooped. "I had no idea, I'm so sorry Feliciano…" Feli once again hugged the German. "Cheer up Luddy! You didn't know! Don't worry!" Ludwig smiled.

"I'll make it up to you Feliciano." Lovina groaned and tried to pull her brother away. "Say goodbye Feli, Antonio's probably waiting for us." Feliciano pouted and struggled to stay latched onto Ludwig. "But sorella!"

"No buts, Feli. We're already late and if we keep Antonio waiting, he'll send the whole damn armada out to find us." Feliciano huffed and bid the german farewell as his sister dragged him along.

They reached the place where they had indicated they would meet, but Antonio wasn't there yet. The siblings sat down and continued to talk while they waited.

"So how did you even meet that bastard?" Lovina asked. Feliciano smiled and shrugged. "Well he's Mister Roderich's cousin, or something like that. So he'd visit every once in awhile! And I'd see him a lot whenever my boss sent me out on errands! He likes to hang around the market a lot, and we talk and walk and spend time together."

Lovina didn't think she wanted to know what that would entail. Before long, Antonio finally showed up with a nervous smile on his face. He looked kinda weird, and started acting strangely as they headed home. For some reason he was anxious and kept glancing at Lovina.

Lovina smiled as she watched her brother walk away. Though she'd never admit it, she was glad she had spent the day with him. Her smile faded as Antonio ushered her through the door. What was wrong with him? He seemed a bit jumpy, which made Lovina feel uneasy. She decided to ignore it as he started to make dinner.

Lovina didn't want him to do anything special, but Antonio insisted on making her a big dinner. And honestly, Lovina didn't resist that much. Before setting down a huge plate of pasta, Antonio grabbed a rich, aged wine and filled Lovina's glass.

She raised her eyebrow as he sat beside her. "Pulling out the big guns tonight?" Antonio chuckled nervously. "Mi amor, we've only just begun" he responded, mostly to himself. Lovina eyed him as they both began to eat.

The whole meal, Antonio seemed on edge. He was constantly tapping his feet and he just didn't seem like himself. Lovina tried to get him a little tipsy so he would calm the hell down, but no matter what he still seemed on edge. After awhile, Lovina couldn't take it anymore. "For god's sake Antonio, what's wrong?" she groaned.

Antonio stared at her for a moment for gently taking her hand in his. "Lovina, I uh, I have known you for awhile now…" Lovina nodded her head suspiciously. "Well, I have always loved you Lovi." She gave him a quizzical stare as he shook his head. "No, wait, I mean-even when you were a boy, you still held a special place in my heart, n-not the way you do now…I mean I still cared for you then, but things have changed, si?" Lovina was absolutely lost. "Antonio, I think that's been implied for a while now."

Antonio laughed nervously. "R-Right. What I'm trying to say is, I don't know where I'd be without you Lovi. Y-You are the world to me. Even before you became-well not became, but you know, uh 'became' a girl, you changed my life." Antonio ran his hand through his hair and sighed while Lovina continued to give him a perplexed look. "This is not going as smoothly as I planned…but the important thing, is that I love you. More than anything. So…" Antonio stood and reached into his pocket.

He turned white as a sheet as he reached into the other pocket. Lovina watched as he was on the verge of having a panic attack until he dug his hand into a back pocket and let out a sigh of relief. Her eyes widened as he stepped closer and kneeled beside her.

"A-Antonio…" He smiled and held out a small box. "I've been thinking about this for awhile, and it just makes sense. I-I love you, and I certainly hope that you love me. So, Lovi," He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Will you marry me?"

**AAAAAAAHHHHHHH I DID A THING mwahahahaha…until next time kiddies…**


	26. Chapter 26

**New chapter! Yay! Please feel free to send more suggestions for future characters/plot ideas! Enjoy!**

Lovina's jaw slowly dropped. Why was there a huge knot in her chest? Why couldn't she speak? Antonio nervously opened the small box containing the ring. It had a rose gold band with a modest sized pale green gem in the center with two small diamonds on either side. "T-Tonio…"

She didn't even know what she wanted to say. She was too distracted by this weird sense of guilt. It should be an easy decision, right? Then why couldn't she say yes? One syllable, that's all she had to say. Yes. God, why was it so hard?

Antonio looked down before closing the box. "I'm sorry, this was too soon. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." Antonio slowly stood and rubbed the back of his neck, still avoiding her eyes. "Why don't we forget this ever happened…"

Lovina shook her head as she rose. She gently pressed her lips to his and let him hold her closer. He pulled away and gave her a puzzled look. "So…is that a yes?" Lovina chuckled and smiled at him. "It's a lets hold off for a while bastardo." Antonio smiled and cupped her cheek. "I'll take it" he responded before kissing her again.

"This has been my best birthday yet" Lovina said after breaking away. Antonio smirked and kissed her jaw, slowly moving up to her ear. "Want to make it even better?" Lovina stifled a small moan as he sucked and nibbled on her neck. She quickly nodded and gripped his shirt as he held her hips against him. Lovina rolled her eyes and pouted.

"It's my birthday bastardo, so quit being a tease." Antonio laughed and pressed her against the table. "A bit eager tonight, aren't we?" Lovina sighed before wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him closer by the collar of his shirt. She ran one of her hands through his hair and tugged lightly on his curls. Antonio's eyes widened as her other hand tugged at the waistband of his pants. He smirked as he lifted her up and carried her up the stairs. "Whatever the birthday-girl wants."

Antonio woke the next morning to the sound of knocking on the front door. He groggily picked his head up the laid back down; hoping whoever was there would go away. He smiled as he pressed himself closer to the bare back in front of him. Right when he closed his eyes, the knocking started again, only this time it was louder.

Antonio groaned as he picked himself up off the bed. He quickly put on some pants and a robe and trudged down the stairs. He sighed as he swung the door open. "Can I help you?" he asked sleepily. A tall older man with brown hair and amber eyes stood sheepishly in front of him.

"Is there a Lovina Vargas here?" the man asked in a heavy Italian accent. Antonio looked him up and down with a suspicious look. "Yes…may I ask who's looking for her?"

Lovina felt someone nudge her shoulders and call her name. "Lovina, wake up. There's some man who says he knows you." Lovina slowly lifted her head and stared at Antonio. "What?"

He shrugged. "I've never seen him, but he looks harmless enough. I think he said his name was Roma." All color drained from Lovina's face. Before Antonio could ask what was wrong, she flew out of bed and through on the nearest article of clothing before bolting out of the room. Clad in only Antonio's discarded shirt, Lovina raced down the hall, but was frozen still at the top of the stairs. She glared at the man standing before her. "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were dead!" Roma stared at Lovina who was soon joined by a red faced Spaniard.

"For god's sake Lovi, cover yourself up!" He threw his robe over her, which earned him a glare from the older man. "I see what Feli told me is true." Lovina felt her anger swell up.

"What Feli told you WAS true. And who's fault is that?" she hissed. Roma looked away guiltily. "Lovina, I'm so sorry, I-"

"I wish you were dead!" she hollered. Antonio stepped back. "Not because you deserve to be, or because I hate you, but because then you'd have a somewhat decent reason for abandoning us! Do you know what you put me through, what you put Feli through?!" She felt angry tears run down her cheeks.

"I came to make it up to you. I came to take you back, to keep you from getting hurt." Roma narrowed his eyes at Antonio. "But I've come too late" he hissed. Lovina grabbed onto Antonio's arms.

"It's not like that, h-he loves me…" Antonio removed his arm from her grip and placed it protectively around her shoulder. "I assume you're her grandfather" he snapped. Roma cut him off before Antonio could finish.

"That's right, now get your damn hands off of my granddaughter!"

"Zitto!" Lovina cried. She wiped her tears from her face as she slipped into her native tongue. "Non hai nessun diritto di venire qui e lo giudicherà dopo tutto quello che hai fatto!" _(You have no right to come here and judge him after all you've done!)_

Roma glared at her. "Ascoltami. Sei troppo giovane. Vuoi finire come tua madre?!" _(Listen to me. You are too young. Do you want to end up like your mother?!)_

Antonio was completely lost, but he knew her grandfather's last words affected her. He had to hold her back as she tried to pounce at her grandfather. "È figlio di una cagna! Come osi la mettono in questo?! Come ti permetti di utilizzare il suo destino contro di me?! Che razza di padre sei tu, bastardo malato?! E 'colpa tua e' morta!" _(You son of a bitch! How dare you bring her into this?! How dare you use her fate against me?! What kind of a father are you, you sick bastard?! It's your fault she's dead!) _she screamed.

Lovina started thrashing at him as Roma's eyes filled with anger. "Lovi, you have to calm down!" Antonio begged. Roma stepped closer, making Antonio pull her back further. "What did you just say?" he asked menacingly.

"It's all you fault, everything is your fault! And you come here, expecting me to follow you blindly?! I wouldn't even if my life depended on it!" She was on the verge of having a panic attack. Her breaths became quick and shallow as she struggled to keep from collapsing. Antonio supported her weight and cupped her cheeks as he tried to soothe her.

"Lovi, you have to calm down. Please, you're scaring me, amor. Just breathe. Just look at me and breathe." Lovina's breathing slowed as she buried her head in his chest. "That's it. Just relax, Lovi. It's going to be alright."

Roma watched helplessly as the Spaniard comforted his granddaughter. Antonio turned his attention back to Roma. "Leave. Now." He ordered sternly. Roma narrowed his eyes. "You have no right-"

"Oh I have every right" he snapped, louder. "Look what you've done to my Lovi." Roma growled and stepped forward.

" 'My' Lovi? You sound just like her father" he snarled. Antonio felt Lovina's breathing quicken again. He immediately rubbed her back, desperate to keep her calm. "Shh it's ok Lovi. Can you hear me?" she nodded weakly. "Good. Now I want you to count backward from 10. Can you do that for me?" She nodded again.

"D-Deici…n-nove…o-otto…" Antonio let out a sigh as he heard her count. "Go, now. You are intruding on private property and I will not hesitate to remove you forcibly" he said to Roma without looking away from Lovina.

Roma turned away. "I'm so sorry my little Lovi" he said softly before leaving.

Antonio kissed the top of her head. "Do you want to lie down, will that help?" She nodded and let him pick her up. He gently placed her back on the bed and laid down beside her. She immediately clung to him as he rubbed her back again, desperate to soothe his poor Lovi's aching heart.

**So that was intense…until next time!**


	27. Chapter 27

Antonio watched as the girl beside him gained her composure. Lovina picked up her head and looked at him, eyes red and still sniffling. "What can I do?" he murmured softly while tracing circles on her shoulder. Lovina silently stood and started dressing herself. "Lovi?"

She quickly wiped her face and stood tall. "You think I'm just going to let him off like that? Yeah, I'm going to make sure I'm not the only one who cries. That bastard better brace himself for the shitstorm that's on its way." Antonio laughed as he rose to embrace her.

"That's my Lovi" he chuckled as he kissed her jaw. Lovina pulled back and looked at him with a serious expression. "I have to talk to Feli. I need to make sure he's alright." Antonio nodded and got dressed himself.

"We'll leave right away. There's no need to worry mi amor, we'll have this sorted out soon enough. I promise."

(-)

Surprisingly, Feli was just as upset as Lovina was, maybe even angrier. According to Elizaveta, he had completely lost when his grandfather showed up. She also said he was mostly upset for Lovina's sake. Lovina had assumed her brother would just be more shocked than anything. He had always adored nonno. He really had changed over the years…

Lovina groaned, however, when she learned that the only one who had been able to calm him down was Ludwig. Of course that German bastard just conveniently happened to visit after Feli's meltdown. She wanted to gag when she thought about him swooping in and saving the day. At least he was gone now. Lovina really wasn't in the mood to deal with him.

"Ve sorella! Are you ok, what happened when you saw him?" Lovina chuckled nervously and tried to remain as cool as possible. "I just cussed him out sent his ass out the door. I didn't let him get to me." Antonio sighed as she lied.

"Hey, Feli, do you have any idea where he's staying?" she asked, trying to sound as passive as possible. She was failing.

Feli cocked an eyebrow as his sister leaned back. "Si, he's staying in that inn at the edge of town…why do you ask?" Lovina put on her best ready-to-kick-ass smirk she could muster before answering her brother.

"I just, ya know, want to give him a piece of my mind that's all." Feliciano tilted his head to the side and gave his sister a quizzical stare. "But I thought you said you already did that?"

"Well m-maybe I wanted to do it again" she snapped. Feliciano chuckled and hugged his sister. "Whatever makes you happy, sorella."

Lovina blushed and hugged him back. "Yeah, yeah whatever" she mumbled into his shoulder. Feli released her and smiled. "Just don't get too carried away, ok? And also…tell him…io lo amo…"

Lovina nodded and gave her brother the traditional kiss on either cheek. "I will, I promise."

(-)

It was already getting dark by the time Antonio and Lovina reached the inn that Feliciano said their grandfather was staying at. They walked in and approached a pretty girl sitting at the front desk. Antonio smiled at her and, much to Lovina's displeasure, turned up the charm.

"Excuse me señorita, do you know if there is a Roma Vargas staying here?" The girl shuffled a bit and stared at the ground.

"I-I don't think Mister Vash said I could give that information out…sir" she responded weakly. Lovina shoved Antonio away from the poor girl.

"I'm sorry about him; did he make you feel uncomfortable?" The girl glanced at Antonio and nodded. Lovina then turned and smacked Antonio's arm, hard. "Idiota" she mumbled before facing the girl again.

"Tell me what s your name?" the girl smiled a bit. "Lili."

Lovina put on her sweetest smile. "You see Lili, I am related to the man we are looking for. Surely you can tell his family where he is?" Lili bit her lip nervously. "W-well, I…"

"Hey, stop scaring my employee!" An angry man with blonde hair put his arm protectively around Lili, which brought a faint blush to her cheeks.

Lovina rolled her eyes and groaned. "Look we just want to know where someone is." The man who she assumed was 'Mister Vash' narrowed his eyes.

"Haven't you heard of something called 'confidentiality'?" he snickered. Lovina glared at him. "I'm family dammit, this shouldn't be such a hassle!"

Vash looked her up and down. "Can you prove it?"

Lovina slammed her hand on the desk angrily. "What do you want, a damn birth certificate?!"

"L-Lovina, why are you here?" Roma stared at his grandfather as he walked into the room. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"I'm not done with you, bastard."

(-)

Rome took his granddaughter to a nearby restaurant along with Antonio, Much to the older Italian's dismay. But the Spaniard kept his distance, waiting at the bar while the two "talked". He smirked as he watched Lovina pout and scold and scowl. She really wasn't going to let that man off the hook.

Antonio took another sip of the drink he ordered when he noticed Lovina's face had turned red and her grandfather was now looking at him. Lovina also stole a glance at him. Antonio raised an eyebrow quizzically, only to have her whip back around to her grandfather. The older man was now smirking and Lovina looked like he was about to explode. Roma laughed while Lovina scowled. But soon, the younger Italian gave him a mischievous glare. Lovina said something to him and his eyes lit up. But after Lovina spoke again, his jaw dropped and his eyebrows rose. Antonio smiled as Lovina smirked. But that smirk soon faded as she got up and approached Antonio.

He smiled and placed his hands on her waist. "So?" he asked hesitantly. She smirked a bit and glanced back over at her grandfather. "I gave him hell" she responded cheerfully. "But we're a work in progress, so to speak." Antonio nodded and kissed her forehead. "I'm really proud of you Lovi" he sighed.

Lovina chuckled nervously and stepped back. "Don't be proud yet…he wants to talk to you…"

**Oh Antonio…"meeting the parents" is never fun…also Vash and Lili are the cutest things in the world…until next time kiddies…**


	28. Chapter 28

**Yay, new chapter. That last one took me forever to figure out. I was like WHERE DO START LASNOWUVFOWURVFOWUV. But then realized Lovi would just bounce back like the badass she is and not give a shit. My spirit animal. Anyways, review, favorite, follow, blah blah blah. Enjoy**

Antonio shifted uncomfortably as Roma Vargas glared at him. "I'm going to be honest, I don't like you" the older Italian said coldly. Antonio sighed and leaned back in his chair. "The feeling is mutual" he muttered in response. Roma leaned forward with his fore arms on the table between them.

"Let's get one thing straight, I'm only putting up with you for her" he hissed. Antonio narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "As am I."

Roma rubbed his chin and stared at the Spaniard. "How do I know you're not taking advantage of her? She's young, Carriedo. She doesn't know what she's doing." Antonio glanced over at Lovina, who was watching nervously. He gave her a small reassuring smile as she toyed with a glass on the bar in front of her.

"She knows exactly what she's doing" Antonio responded before turning back to Roma. "You don't give her enough credit. She's a smart young woman, not some airheaded girl. I wouldn't be with her if she was." Roma sighed and stared at the table.

"I want what's best for my Lovi. I know I haven't been there for her recently, but I still love her all the same. And I don't know if you're serious or not. I don't want her giving everything she has to a man who doesn't want to give everything back."

Antonio looked Roma dead in the eye. "Everything I do, I do for her. I want her for the rest of my life." He chuckled and ran his hand through his hair. "I even proposed" he added nervously.

"You did what?!" Roma clenched his fist angrily. Antonio sighed and looked away. "Calm down, she said no." Roma smirked and laughed at Antonio.

"That's my Lovi, the little heartbreaker." Antonio rolled his eyes and looked back at Lovina, who now had a glass of wine sitting in front of her.

"Lovi, one glass, ok?" he called to her. Lovina looked over and waved him off. "Don't tell me what to do, stronzo" she responded. Antonio chuckled and shook his head as he faced the still smirking Roma.

"I assume you've learned just how fiery my little Lovi is?" Roma asked. Antonio gave him a genuine smile and chuckled. "I wouldn't want her any other way" he responded before rising. Roma stood as well and sighed.

"I guess you could be worse, Carriedo" Roma mumbled. Antonio rolled his eyes. "I guess that's a compliment…" he responded as he started to walk over to Lovina. He was caught by Roma's hand grabbing onto his shoulder.

"Let's be clear; if you hurt my little girl, I'll cut off your cazzo with a spoon and feed it to you over a bed of pasta, got it?" Antonio's eyes widened as he nodded. Well, now he knew where Lovina got her colorful threats from. Roma gave him an overly warm smile before shoving him forward a bit. Antonio shuddered as he approached Lovina.

"You ready to say goodbye?" Lovina rolled her eyes and pointed to her half empty glass of wine. "Can I finish my drink, bastardo?" Antonio chuckled before grabbing the drink and downing the rest of it.

"Hey!-" she cried angrily as she hit his arm. Antonio chuckled and he cut her off with a kiss. Roma rolled his eyes and groaned while he watched the pair. "Lovi, I know you're adorable when you drink, but I'd rather get you drunk at home, si?" Roma glared at the back of Antonio's head as the Spaniard wrapped an arm around Lovina's waist.

They turned and faced Roma. "Ciao, bastardo" Lovina said softly. Roma smiled and he pulled her into a hug. "Ti amo my little Lovi."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever" she sighed as he slowly released her. As soon as she turned away, he glared at Antonio and made a chopping, then eating gesture to him. Antonio waved nervously before he quickly left with Lovina.

"What did he say?" she asked quietly. He sighed and grasped her hand. "He hates me. But it's to be expected. What I wanna know is what you said that made him act so surprised." Lovina thought for a moment then laughed.

"I told him about Feliciano and Gilbert's younger brother, Ludwig." Antonio gave her a quizzical stare as she smirked. "They're very close" she added. Antonio cocked an eyebrow.

"Very close?" he asked. Lovina nodded and chuckled. "**Very** close" she repeated. Antonio smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Well, good for Feli."

(-)

Lovina sighed as she walked home. It had been almost a month since her grandfather reappeared and he insisted on spending as much time with her and Feliciano as possible. Today, he showed them some of their old things he had found. It was mostly baby clothes and other things that were much too small for them now. Feliciano seemed really happy to be reconnecting with their nonno, so she went along with it.

She stared at the rattle in her hand. The bastard insisted they take something with them, so she just grabbed one of the smallest things she could find. Even Lovina had to admit it was kind of cute, and it did bring back a few good memories.

"Antonio?" she called as she walked through the door. She heard him say something from his study and slowly walked in. "I'll be with you in just a moment" he said as he continued to scribble something down. Lovina plopped down on the couch in the room and waited. She toyed with her old rattle, admiring the faded pastel colors and tiny bow wrapped around the handle.

"L-Lovina, why do you have a juguete del bebé?"

Lovina's head snapped up when she heard the uncertainty in his voice "I-It's just a toy from when I was young! C-calm down, geez!" Antonio nodded and sat next to her. He gave her a soft kiss and pulled her onto his lap. Lovina gently wrapped her legs around his waist and let her fingers weave into his hair. Antonio stared at her silently for a moment.

"Lovi, do you ever want to have a baby?"

His question almost sent her falling to the floor."Why are you asking me something like that?!" she squeaked. He chuckled and stroked the sides of her waist. "I just want to know mi amor."

Lovina looked away while her face turned red. "I-I, well…s-someday…I guess…" Lovina mentally kicked herself for her stupidity. She was basically saying, 'Hey! I want to bear your children!' her face felt hot as she tried to hide her embarrassment. How could she just assume-

"How many should we have Lovi?" Antonio chuckled. Lovina's eyes widened as she stared at him.

"W-We?"she replied softly. Antonio became flustered as he cleared his throat. "I um, lo siento Lovi. You don't…I don't…I know we're not-"

Lovina pressed her lips to his. He smiled as he knew he'd said something right. Antonio quickly pinned her under him and smirked. "So Lovi, shall we 'make a baby'?"

Lovina rolled her eyes and smacked the back of his head. "Shut up idiota" she said before letting him kiss her again.

**Lovi would be the most badass mom ever. "Kid wouldn't get away with shit!" *giggles like an idiot as she quotes Baby Mama* well, until next time kiddies….**


	29. Chapter 29

**New chapter, hurrah! Review/favorite/follow of course! Enjoy!**

"I can't believe I agreed to this" Lovina mumbled as she stared at her reflection. Gilbert was having a dumbass party. And to make matters worse, it was a costume party. She felt like an idiot and was ready to beat Antonio's stupid head in after seeing the costume he chose.

God he was such a five year old sometimes. He wanted to go as pirates. Pirates. Lovina was seriously regretting letting him choose. She groaned and grabbed her mask before stomping down the stairs.

"Remind me why I agreed to put this stupid thing on?" she asked with her arms crossed. Antonio turned around in his costume. He was the lucky one. All he had to do was put on an over the top coat and hat with and obnoxious feather and call it a day. He had wanted to grow out some facial hair to complete the look but Lovina swore she wouldn't let his face anywhere near hers. There was no way in hell she was letting him kiss her with a damn caterpillar on his lip.

Antonio frowned when he saw her. Don't get the wrong idea, she looked stunning. Just…a little too stunning. Her corset hugged her body in a way that left little to the imagination, and the shirt she was wearing fell off her shoulders and didn't help much. Antonio didn't want other men to try to imagine.

"I don't like it" he said as he walked closer. Lovina pouted and crossed her arms. "You're the one who picked it out! And it took me thirty minutes to get the damn thing on, and I'm not going to let it be for nothing" she snapped.

Antonio placed his hands on her shoulders. "Mi amor, I did not know it would look…quite so good on you." He pulled her closer and kissed her neck gently. "And I would me more than happy to help you take it off" he mumbled into her skin. Lovina rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "Let's just get this over with. Grab your mask so we can go" she said before removing the hat from his head and put it on.

"Hey! What are you doing, that's mine" hecalled after her as she headed toward the door. Lovina turned back around and smirked. "Tonio, I think we both know who's calling the shots."

Antonio grinned and followed her. He would most definitely help her out of her costume tonight.

(-)

Lovina was strangely quiet for the whole ride there. "Lovi, is everything alright?" he asked while she stared out the window of the carriage.

"What's the date?" she asked quietly. Antonio gave her a puzzled looked as her eyebrows furrowed. "It's the twenty sixth…" he responded hesitantly. Lovina's eyes widened as she turned to face him.

"Wh-what, already?" She shook her head and looked away. "Th-that's not possible, are you sure?" Antonio tilted his head and reached for her hand. "Lovina, why is this such a big deal? You're starting to worry me."

Lovina looked out the window and put her scarlet mask on. "It's nothing. We're here."

(-)

The place was packed. Lovina latched onto Antonio as they searched for Gilbert. Everyone was masked, so it was almost impossible to pick anyone out from the crowd. Fortunately, they both only knew one silver haired albino.

"Gilbert, this is quite the party you've got going on" Antonio exclaimed as he put his arm around the host's shoulders. Gilbert was dressed up as the devil, complete with tiny horns. Go figure.

"Mein Gott Lovi is that you?" he asked as he eyed the Italian. Lovi was glad her mask covered up her blush. "Hey, quit staring stronzo!" she snapped. Gilbert laughed and embraced her.

"Yup, that's Lovi. How have you been Mädchen?" Lovina wriggled her way out of his grasp. "F-Fine thanks for inviting us, I guess…" Gilbert laughed and winked. "Anytime, Lovina."

"Lovina?!"

She whipped her head around and saw a nearby man step forward. "Lovina? Do you remember me?" Lovina looked the man up and down. He had a large top hat and a colorful suit on, along with a purple mask. "No…" she responded with a quizzical stare.

The man rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Let me give you a hint; you left halfway through our dance, leaving me to be preyed on by Francis." Lovina's eyes widened as she tried to stifle a chuckle.

"Arthur, right? I hope he didn't get you too bad." Antonio glared at Arthur and pulled Lovi closer. "Kirkland" he snapped. Arthur smirked and stepped closer. "Good to see you Carriedo. I hear Bella's here tonight." Lovina felt her chest tighten.

"I don't care" he responded, half to Lovina. Arthur raised an eyebrow and turned to the Italian with an outstretched hand. "Well, I would be honored if you'd care to finish our dance."

"Ah, but why do you need to when you could simply spend time with me." Arthur froze as he felt a hand drape around his shoulder. "Dammit Francis, leave me alone!" he hissed through gritted teeth. Francis smirked and stepped forward. Lovina rolled her eyes at his flashy cape and half-mask. Francis was probably one of the more flamboyant guests at the party.

He chuckled and pressed his lips to Arthur's ear. The others watched as his face turned bright red while the other mumbled something and smirked. Arthur nodded and walked off, followed by Francis, who was grinning like a fool.

Before Lovina could comment on the scene that unfolded before her, she felt someone tap on her shoulder. Another masked man stood behind her and smiled. "I was wondering if I might dance with you miss?" Lovina eyed him suspiciously. Something about him made her feel uneasy. She glanced back at Antonio, who gave her a small smile.

"It's alright Lovi, go ahead. Just come right back, ok chica?" He winked as she nodded and was led to the dance floor by the man. He smirked and placed his hand on her lower back. "Watch it buddy…" she warned. He chuckled darkly and pulled her closer.

"It's nice to see you again, Miss Vargas."

Lovina's eyes widened as she stared back at the man. "H-How do you know my name?" she asked hesitantly. The man squeezed her hand, causing her to wince. "Forgive me Miss Vargas, I have not properly introduced myself; my name is Sadiq. I'm the one who tried to kill your precious Spanish bastard."

Lovina tried to pull away but was kept in place by his arms. "You're not going anywhere Miss Vargas" he hissed. Lovina glared at him and continued to struggle. "I'm going to kill you for what you did to him!" she snarled.

"I'd love to see you try" he sneered. "But that's not why I'm here. Your grandfather owes me quite a bit. You're going to tell me where Roma is, Lovina."

"Never" she growled. Lovina searched frantically for Antonio, Gilbert, anyone. "Anto-" she tried to call out for him, but was stopped by Sadiq's hand covering her mouth, earning the two stares from the surrounding couples.

"I will give you one more chance Miss Vargas, and if you try anything stupid, you will regret it. Where is Roma?" He removed his hand from her mouth slowly.

"I won't tell you" she responded with narrowed eyes. Sadiq shook his head and smirked. "This was a poor decision Miss Vargas. I promise you, you'll wish you had cooperated." Sadiq released her and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Lovina quickly pushed through the other dancers in search of Antonio. She had to find him and tell him what happened. Lovina's pace slowed and her eyes widened. No, she couldn't tell him. If he found out, he'd run off after Sadiq again. Who knew if he'd come back the next time. She couldn't let him go out and risk his life again. She'd just have to keep quiet, for now.

"Lovina!"

She jumped a bit and turned to Antonio, forcing a smile. "I-I'm glad I found you. My partner left." Antonio smiled and kissed her. "I hope you don't miss him too much. I might get jealous." Lovina gave him a nervous chuckle as he took her hands in his.

"D-Don't be stupid, he was a terrible dancer anyways." Antonio chuckled and held her against him while they began to sway to the music. He wrapped his arm around her waist and let his hand creep down to her lower back. His lips pressed against her temple, then her forehead.

"Promise me you'll never dance with another man again, Lovi." She nodded and let his lips meet hers again. Lovina silently thanked god Antonio didn't witness her encounter with the masked man.

**Duh du DDUUUUUUUHHHH… in case you didn't pick up on it, Arthur was the Mad Hatter and Francis was the Opera Ghost, aka the phantom of the opera. Alice in Wonderland is British and Phantom is French, so I figured what the hell…until next time kiddies…**


	30. Chapter 30

**Brace yourselves folks, this chapter is a doozy**

Antonio and Lovina soon headed home so he could help her out of the costume; it wasn't as 'sensual' as that sounds.

"Grazie a Dio, I can breathe again" Lovina groaned as she flopped onto the bed, breathless. Antonio chuckled as he laid back beside her. "You weren't kidding Lovi. I could've sworn I got all the measurements right…"

Lovina turned her head and glared at him. "Are you calling me fat, bastardo?" Antonio smirked as he crawled on top of her. "How could I ever say such a thing, mi amor?" He gently kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You weren't acting like yourself tonight, Lovi. Did something happen?"

Lovina avoided his gaze and sat up. "You know I hate being around a lot of people…" Antonio moved beside her and took her hands in his. "But even before we arrived you were acting strange. You seemed worried, is there something you're not telling me?" Lovina winces as his thumb stroked her knuckles.

"No, everything is fine" she tried to assure him. But he wasn't buying it. "Lovi…" he warned. Lovina pouted at him.

"Whaaat?" she said in an adorably whiny voice. Antonio laughed and pinned her down. He sighed before lightly kissing her. "You promise me that if something were wrong, you'd tell me?" Lovina nodded quickly and pulled his lips to hers before he could question her further.

(-)

Lovina forced herself out of bed early that morning, being careful not to wake Antonio. She groaned quietly as she looked out the window. It was barely light outside. But there was no way in hell she was letting him come along with her today. And she knew he'd never let her go alone.

She sighed as she got dressed. She couldn't believe she had to resort to sneaking around. She looked back at Antonio guiltily after leaving a note beside him, in case he woke up before she got back. Lovina tip toed down the stairs and hurried out the door before she could change her mind.

She wished she had someone with her as she walked into town. Then she wouldn't be plagued by her own thoughts as she trudged along alone. Her stomach was in a knot the entire way there. Lovina found her way through the streets, glad that there weren't many people out yet. Her heart stopped when she reached her destination. She slowly opened the door and peered inside.

"Welcome to Dr. Yao's private practice, what seems to be-Oh, it's you." Lovina rolled her eyes at the Asian man as she stepped inside. "Yeah, I'm thrilled to see you too, bastard" she mumbled with her arms cross.

He turned away and started writing something down. "What do you want? Some other idiot you know get their brains knocked around?" Lovina shifted uncomfortably and stared at the ground.

"I need you to check something for me."

(-)

Antonio threw on his clothes as he dashed down the stairs. He was going to give her hell as soon as he found her. How many times did he have to tell her not to go off alone?! And she had the gall to tell him "not to worry" in her little note. Like hell he wasn't going to worry!

By the time he tore open the door she was already standing there. He pulled her in quickly, still furious. "Lovina! What in God's name were you thinking?!" he snapped. His eyes softened when he saw the distant look in her eyes. "Lovi, why did you just leave like that, where did you go?" he asked softly as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Can I sit down?" she asked weakly. Antonio's eyes grew wide and he quickly led her to a chair. He knelt beside her in gently held her hands. "Lovi, what's wrong, what happened?" Lovina gripped his hand and stared off. "I went to see a doctor…"

Antonio reached up and pulled her chin to face him, searching her eyes for a clear answer. "Are you hurt, are you sick?" he asked anxiously. She shook her head and stared at the floor. "Lovi, please tell me what's going on. You're starting to scare me." Lovina nodded before mumbling something. Antonio strained to hear. "Lovi, speak up" he said, worried.

She sighed and kept her eyes locked on the floorboards in front of her. "Do you remember, a couple weeks ago…when you asked me about…babies?" Antonio's hold on her hands loosened while he stared back at her, shocked. "Lovi…" he started. She gave him a weak smile. "S-Surprise…" she mumbled.

Before she could even process another thought, she heard Antonio laugh beside her. He eagerly lifted her by the waist and spun her around. He hugged her and set her down gently. "Are you serious?!"

He looked like a little kid on Christmas morning. "No Tonio, I'm joking." Lovina rolled her eyes and smacked the side of his head. "Of course I'm serious!" Antonio laughed again and kissed her. Over and over again. Lovina couldn't help but chuckle as he squeezed her and pressed his lips to her temple. He flashed her the largest grin she had ever seen and kneeled in front of her stomach.

He eagerly rubbed his hand across her belly and laughed. "Is it a boy or a girl? Who will it look like? Can you feel it? Can it hear me? Lovi, you should really watch your language from now on. Ooh, what should we name it?" Lovina sighed and pulled him back up. "It looks like a lizard right now, idiota."

Antonio cupped her cheeks and grinned. "It is the most beautiful, wonderful, amazing lizard in the entire world. How far along are you?" he asked as he held her, letting her head rest against his chest. "About six or seven weeks…Hey Antonio?"

Antonio looked down at her, overwhelmed with joy. "Yes mi amor?" Lovina smirked and bit her lip. "Yes" she responded. Antonio gave her a quizzical stare as she stepped back and crossed her arms. "I'll marry you."

Antonio smiled and rolled his eyes. "I'm so glad an illegitimate child is what convinced you to say yes." Lovina smiled and shrugged. "Looks like you're stuck with me, Carriedo."

Antonio stepped forward to embrace her again, but was stopped short when she held her hand over her mouth. "I don't feel good Tonio" she groaned. Antonio panicked and scrambled for the nearest container. A bucket, how pleasant.

Antonio held her hair back as she experienced one of the many joys of being with child. Antonio rubbed her back and smiled. "We can do this Lovi" he assured her. Lovina slowly nodded, wondering when this all would really hit him.

(-)

"Lovi, what if I can't do this?" Well that was quick.

Antonio laid out on the bed and stared at the ceiling as it grew dark. Lovina rolled her eyes and laid down next to him, on her back as well. "You'll be better at it than me" she mumbled as he pulled her against him. "That's not true, Lovina. I have no doubt in my mind that you will be a wonderful mother." He smiled and kissed her temple. "I hope it's a boy."

Lovina propped herself up and gave him a weird look. "A boy?" Antonio laughed and nodded. "I'll love it either way. But I don't know if I could handle another crazy Italian girl in my life." Lovina rolled her eyes and laid back down. "Well I want a girl" she mumbled. Antonio chuckled and laced his fingers between hers. "And why is that mi amor?"

"So I can let her wear pretty dresses and fix up her hair. I'll teach her everything she needs to know about…growing up. She'll have boys chasing after her, but she'll kick their ass if they try anything stupid. She'll grow up like any normal girl." Lovina paused and buried her head in Antonio's chest. "She'll have everything I didn't…"

Antonio held her tighter and smiled. "You're going to be a wonderful mother, Lovina."

**AAAAHAAAAAAAAHAAHAHAAAAAA *squeals in the corner* OH THE THINGS I HAVE PLANNED. This might sound weird, but if there are specific symptoms you'd like to see, dear god suggest them so I can add in ridiculous shit. Until next time!**


	31. Chapter 31

"Are you nervous?"

Antonio squeezed Lovina's hand when she nodded as they stood in front of Roderich's door. They had both agreed to keep Lovina's pregnancy quiet, though she felt she had to tell her brother. He was family after all and he was going to be Uncle Feli.

Lovina smiled to herself as the words rang in her head. Uncle Feli, Aunt Lizzie, Uncle Gil, Uncle Francis…

"Lovina?" Lovina's eyes snapped forward as Elizaveta gave her a quizzical stare. Antonio laughed nervously and pulled her inside with him. "She's just tired, that's all." He explained. Lovina nodded and released his hand. He was actually telling the truth; this morning had been hell. She felt nauseous, but insisted she and Antonio visited Feliciano anyway. She had to get this over with.

"I need to speak to Feli" she added quietly. Elizaveta gave her a warm smile and grabbed her hand. "Of course, I think he's…outside…" Elizaveta stopped and turned to Lovina as she lifted the girl's hand and stared at the ring on her finger. Lovina crinkled her nose; she had almost forgotten.

She didn't want to wear it around, but it meant a lot to Antonio so she wore it for him. She was surprised to find out he actually liked to keep things pretty traditional, even though conceiving a kid before a wedding was pretty damn "untraditional".

Elizaveta pulled her into a hug and squeezed her. "I knew this would happen someday, I'm so happy for you!" she squealed, keeping Lovina close. Antonio smirked and crossed his arms. "Now we just have to wait for Gilbert to grow a pair and ask you, Lizzie."

Elizaveta's face turned red as she released Lovina. She quickly grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her outside, followed by Antonio. She narrowed her eyes at the Spaniard as she led the two to Feli. Lovina chuckled as she spotted Feliciano weeding.

For some reason, she felt like bursting into tears.

And she did as soon as Feliciano smiled and waved. Antonio quickly brought her closer and was careful not to let her see his eyes roll ever so slightly. This kind of behavior had become quite common recently.

"What is he going to think?!" she cried as her brother rushed over. Antonio rubbed her back and tried to soothe her. Feliciano gave him a confused look when he approached the two. "Just give her a moment" he half mouthed, half whispered to Feli.

Antonio lifted her chin up and gave her a warm smile. "Lovi, you have something to tell your brother?" It felt like he was talking to a small child. Oh well, good practice. Lovina nodded then wiped her tears away.

She turned to her brother and gave him a bright smile. "Feli!" she squealed as she threw her arms around her brother. Feliciano staggered back, surprised by her sudden affection. He gave Antonio a scared look as he patted her back. "S-Sorella? Are you sick or something?" he asked hesitantly. Lovina chuckled and kissed his cheek. "No Feli, why would you think that?"

"Well, you-" Feliciano looked over Lovina's shoulder and saw Antonio standing wide eyed shaking his head and waving his arms. The man looked terrified. "Well…you…" Feli clumsily brought his hand to her forehead. "You, uh feel warm sorella! Y-yeah, I hope you're feeling alright!" Lovina smiled and squeezed him tighter.

"Feli, you're the sweetest brother in the world. He's going to be a perfect zio, isn't he Tonio?" Antonio nodded and smiled at Feliciano.

Feliciano's eyes widened as he stepped back to look at his sister. "Z-Zio? You mean I'm going to be…that means you…" Lovina grinned and nodded. Feliciano laughed and hugged his sister again.

"This is wonderful sorella! I'm so happy. Now I know why you were acting so weird!" Lovina pulled away and narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean 'acting weird'? I haven't been acting weird!" she said defensively. Antonio pressed his palms to his forehead.

"N-No sorella it's normal to act strange when you have a baby in you!" Feliciano tried to explain. Lovina stepped back and placed her hands on her hips. Hoo boy…

"Oh, so I'm just the crazy pregnant girl, is that it? I came here for support Feli, not to be ostracized!" she snapped. Antonio dragged his hands down his face and silently cursed to the heavens.

"Antonio!" The Spaniard jolted and looked back at Lovina. Her face went from furious to hurt in .2 seconds flat.

"Why were you making that face?" she whimpered quietly. "Y-You're sick of me, you don't want me anymore!" she cried. Feliciano stood by completely lost as Antonio wrapped his arms around her. "Lovina, I will always want you. I was just…disappointed in Feli for being inconsiderate."

Feliciano shot him a betrayed look and Antonio just shrugged helplessly. He winced as he felt Lovina's hand fly across his cheek. Antonio stared at her furious expression. "Don't be mean to my brother bastardo!" she shouted before turning on her heel and heading inside, leaving the two men wide eyed and confused. Antonio sighed and turned to Feli.

"Feliciano, I love your sister with all my heart. But this is going to be a long couple of months."

(-)

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER?!"

Roma furiously shook Antonio. Lovina rolled her eyes and tried to pull him back. "Oh shut up old man, he didn't do anything wrong."

Believe it or not, it was Antonio's idea to tell Roma Vargas. If they told Feliciano because he was family, he figured it was only fair to tell the great-grandfather.

Regret is the only word to describe how Antonio was feeling.

Roma released him and paced in front of the couple. He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. "Lovina, this is absolutely crazy. I blame myself for letting you stay with that bastard!" Lovina scowled and crossed her arms. "Look you old fart, nobody is to blame because this is not a bad thing! Why can't you be happy?!"

Roma frowned and gestured toward Antonio. "Because some horny Spanish stronzo is the father of my granddaughter's child!" Lovina let out a dry laugh.

"Well you better get used to him bastardo, because we're getting married too!" she shouted. Roma threw his hands up in the air out of frustration. "Great, now I get a horny Spanish stronzo for a grandson-in-law!" he hollered.

Lovina punched her grandfather in the chest. "Why do you have to be so mean to him?! He's done more for me than you ever have!" Antonio groaned as they began to argue in Italian. He pinched the bridge of his nose as they went on and on.

"Hey stronzo, what did I tell you?!" Roma moved his granddaughter aside and walked to Antonio again, backing him into the wall. "Well cutting it off now won't do much…" Antonio grumbled.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME YOU LITTLE SHIT?!"

"BOTH OF YOU ENOUGH! I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP I WILL USE ONE OF YOU TO BEAT THE OTHER ONE!"

Both men froze and faced Lovina. Roma stepped back when he saw her bottom lip quiver. "Can't you two get along for the baby?" she asked quietly. Antonio bolted over to her and pulled her into her arms.

"Lovi, I am so sorry. You are completely right, can you ever forgive me?" Lovina sniffled as Roma pulled her away from Antonio. He gently rested his hands on her shoulders. "Lovi, I love you no matter what. I will never stop loving you. Do you understand?" Lovina nodded as her grandfather embraced her. "Tolerating this testa di merda is the least I can do for you." he smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"But this baby is Italian. If I hear one word of Spanish from it, your horny bastard is going to be singing soprano in the boys choir." Lovina chuckled and smiled as she let her grandfather hug her again. She turned her face so that she could see Antonio.

His jaw dropped as he watched her smirk and roll her eyes before winking. He had to cover his mouth to keep himself from laughing. Antonio sighed and shook his head as he wondered how many times she was going to drop the "for the baby" excuse.


	32. Chapter 32

**Have fun with this one kiddies**

Lovina frowned and looked at herself in the mirror. She pouted as she lifted her shirt and stared at the small bump. She was just over four months along now and beginning to show. "Tonio, I'm getting fat" she whined. Antonio chuckled and stood behind her. He let his chin rest on her shoulder and placed his hand over her stomach.

"Mi amor, you are beautiful." Lovina rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "Yeah, well you're obligated to say that since you're the one that did this to me" she replied sarcastically. "I'm hungry…" She thought for a moment then licked her lips. "You know what sounds good?" she asked eagerly.

Antonio smirked and cupped her cheek. "What?" he responded mockingly. Lovina ignored his tone and bit her lip. "Tomatoes wrapped in bacon with chocolate! And cheese!"

Antonio crinkled his nose and gave her a weird look. "Come again?" Lovina stepped back and crossed her arms. "Hey, it's not my fault. Your kid's really picky you know."

Antonio sighed and headed for the stairs. "I'll see what I can do, Lovi."

(-)

Lovina opened the door after being berated with excessively loud knocks. She groaned when she saw Francis and Gilbert standing at the door. Francis smirked and stepped forward.

"It has been too long mon ange, have you been hiding from me?" Lovina scowled and stepped back and rolled her eyes. "What do you two idiotas want?" she hissed. For some reason, their presence just really pissed her off.

Gilbert stepped in and smirked. "We missed you too Mädchen." He wrapped her in an embrace, much to Lovina's distaste. But soon the two leapt away from each other, thoroughly startled.

"What the hell, your stomach just moved!" Gilbert cried. Lovina gave him a weird stare as she placed her hands on her belly. "My stomach moved-MY STOMACH MOVED! TONI!" she hollered. All three of them heard a door slam and rushed footsteps come from the other side of the house before seeing Antonio scramble toward them.

He ran up to Lovina and placed his hands on her shoulders. "What's wrong?! Are you hurt?! Do you feel sick?!" Lovina quickly took his hand and placed it where Gilbert had pressed against her. He searched her eyes and waited.

Lovina frowned and glared at Gilbert. "What did you do?" she snarled. Gilbert backed away with his hands held up defensively, looking terrified. Lovina rolled her eyes and placed his hand on her stomach. Gilbert's eyes widened as he felt her bump. "Holy shit Lovi-"

She quickly shushed him and waited. Gilbert quickly retracted his hand. "Th-That's freaky…it's like a weird fluttering…" he stuttered. Francis stepped forward and stared at her belly. Before he could say anything, she made him feel the bump too. And just like Gilbert, he jolted back when he felt the tiniest little movement.

Antonio crossed his arms and pouted. "No fair! Why does it move for them?!" he whined.

"I guess it just likes us more Toni" Gilbert sneered. Lovina glared at him when she saw the helpless look on Antonio's face. "Yeah, more like it's telling you two to fuck off."

Francis stepped between the two and smiled. "Antonio, we wanted to go grab some drinks. And now we have a reason to celebrate mon ami!"

Antonio sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Lo siento, but I can't leave…" Lovina groaned and shoved him towards his friends.

"For god's sake Tonio, you can go." Antonio turned around with a concerned look on his face. Lovina rolled her eyes and gave him a subtle smile. "If you don't you'll just make me feel bad." Antonio shook his head and stepped closer.

"You know I don't like leaving you alone…" Lovina reached up and gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to bed early anyway. So go." She ordered. Antonio hesitated before giving her a small smile.

"Alright, but I won't be gone long, I promise." Lovina nodded and watched him leave before heading upstairs. She slipped into one of Antonio's shirts before crawling into bed. She fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

(-)

Lovina coughed and gagged as she bolted up. She could feel herself choking on the heavy air around her. God, what was that awful smell? Lovina's eyes widened as she recognized the intrusive gas.

Smoke.

Lovina leapt out of bed and lunged at the door. When she threw it open, she gaped at the wall of flames that had engulfed her home. She slammed the door shut and ran to the window. No matter how hard she pushed, it wouldn't budge. Lovina searched frantically for a way to get out and finally settled on breaking the glass with a chair.

Lovina carefully climbed out the window, escaping with only a few cuts. Lovina hissed in pain when a shard of glass dragged into her skin as she reached for the tree growing next to the window, leaving a large gash in her calf.

She quickly climbed down the tree and stumbled onto the ground. Lovina slowly picked herself up and tried to ignore her nausea. She looked around to try to orient herself and screamed when she saw a figure looming in front of her.

(-)

Antonio's heart raced as he charged back to the house, followed closely by Gilbert and Francis. He could see the glow from the flames from a couple miles away. His heart stopped when he heard screeching and screaming followed by silence.

When he got close enough, he was able to make out a man holding Lovina and dragging her onto a horse. Antonio pushed on, wild-eyed. His eyes narrowed as the man hesitated, like he wanted Antonio to catch up. He growled out of pure fury when he recognized the man.

Sadiq smirked and sped off with a still Lovina strewn on the back of his horse. Antonio stared, horrified as she limply bounced along with the movement. He screamed after her and tried to follow the best he could. But Saidq was soon lost in the trees, carrying Lovina.

Antonio, Gilbert, and Francis searched around non-stop until late into the next morning before coming back to the spot where Lovina had been abducted. Antonio hopped down and staggered toward the foundations of his home. His knees gave way and left him crashing to the ground.

Francis and Gilbert silently stared at the ground as their friend held his head in his hands. "This is all my fault" Antonio cried after an eternity of silence. Gilbert gently cleared his throat as he stepped down.

"Toni, you can't-"

"Like hell I can't!" he hissed. "I wasn't there and I should've been. I've lost everything and it's my own damn fault!" Francs hug his head guiltily when he saw the hot tears rolling down Antonio's cheeks.

"Mon ami, if this is your fault, then it's our fault too." Antonio stared back at his friend and shook his head. "Francis, no-"

"If you won't blame us as well, then quit feeling sorry for yourself so we can find her" he said sternly. Gilbert nodded in agreement before something on the ground caught his eye. He quickly picked up a ring with a note pushed through it. "Toni, you should see this…" Antonio quickly stood and grabbed the note from Gilbert.

Antonio had a dark look in his eyes as he nearly crushed the note from his angry grip.

_Tell Roma to consider his debts paid._

**I HAVE NO REGRETS**

**(ps-everything is and will be medically accurate. I don't skimp on that shit. My Lovi is petit and smaller ladies usually feel movement earlier than normal. I've also been told it sucks even more for small people. I'm only 5 feet tall, so la dee fuckin da. Sorry, tmi. Its late so….adios)**


	33. Chapter 33

**First off, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH HOLY SMOKES. A hundred reviews and over 11,000 views? Guys, I don't know what you see in me, but please continue to love me haha. Andpleasedon'thatemeafterthisohgodthethingsyouwill read. Enjoy!**

Lovina's eyes slowly opened. She carefully picked her head up, still sensitive to the dull pain throbbing in the back of her head. After squinting her eyes and blinking, she let her vision adjust to the dim light. She was in a small, dark, and dank room. Lovina shivered and tried to figure out where she was.

Her eyes flew open when she remembered everything. Lovina bit her lip and shook her head. No, this was all a bad dream. A horrible, terrible nightmare that she would wake up from, and Antonio would hold her and tell her it was all in her head.

Lovina squeezed her eyes shut and placed her head between her knees. _Wake up, dammit _she cursed to herself. Lovina froze when she heard a low chuckle sound from in front of her.

Sadiq stepped forward and kneeled in front of her. The sneer plastered onto his face made her feel sick. He roughly pulled her chin up, gripping her jaw and forcing her to face him. "Lovina Vargas. I'm glad you're awake, I was starting to worry. 36 hours is a long time to be unconscious." Lovina's stomach dropped. Had she really been out that long?

Her hand instinctively rested over her stomach. Everything felt alright…"Ah yes, I noticed you had changed since I last saw you" he snickered. Lovina scowled and attempted to pull away. She spat in his face when he gripped her forearms.

Sadiq let her go and stepped back, furious. Before she could even brace herself, Lovina was sent reeling back from a slap to the face. He stood over her as she cringed, prepared to send his foot into her gut. Lovina wrapped her arms around her waist to try and protect her growing child. "Please don't hurt the baby" she pleaded weakly.

Sadiq smirked and grabbed a fistful of her hair. Lovina whimpered when he used it to pull her up on her knees. "You need to learn your manners, bitch" he cackled before shoving her back. "As for you and the child; your fates rest ultimately in your hands. Do as I say, and you'll…remain alive. Disobey, and I can't make any promises. Understand?"

Lovina gritted her teeth together, more than ready to fire back every horrible thing she could think of. But that would get her nowhere here. She bit her lip and slowly slumped back. Sadiq chuckled when he watched her nod slowly.

Lovina turned her face away uncomfortably as he eyed her hungrily. "So what will you do to keep the both of you from perishing?"

(-)

Antonio burst through the door of Roma Vargas's home. "Where are you bastard?!" he hollered as Francis and Gilbert followed. They were soon greeted by an enraged Roma.

"What the hell are you doing, Carriedo?!" Antonio lunged forward and shoved him against the wall. "Sadiq took Lovi" he snarled.

Roma turned white as his eyes widened. "Wh-What?!" Antonio thrust the note left behind into Roma's chest and stepped back, furiously running his hands through his hair. Roma reread the note again and again. "Care to explain why she and my child are paying for your sins?" Antonio hissed.

Roma softly cleared his throat and looked at the other three men. "I worked with his family. Call it a mutual distrust turned into a twisted alliance. I ended up owing them a lot of money. They offered to clear the debts if I gave Bella, Lovina's mother, away to Sadiq. I said no, of course, and thought they had forgotten and moved on. Awhile later, Sadiq wanted to organize a meeting; my men and his family's men. I thought nothing of it until it was too late. They slaughtered my boys, including Lovi and Feli's father." Roma shifted his eyes down to the ground and clenched his fists."B-Bella died shortly after that when Feliciano and Lovina were born. I fled with them and everything was fine for a couple of years. But then I heard Sadiq was back, so I panicked and ran."

Antonio's eye twitched as he stepped forward. "You just left them?"Even if he may well never had met Lovina had their grandfather stayed, this was unforgiveable.

"I had arranged for them to stay with an old friend, a greek man. But something fell through. When I came back for them, I was too late. They had already left." The distraught man slumped down in a nearby chair. "This shouldn't have happened…Lovina did nothing to deserve this…"

Antonio stood by the older man as he held his head in his hands.

"You are going to come with us and tell us anything you can about Sadiq. Are we clear?" Roma nodded and rose. "Of course. and Antonio?"

Antonio stared down Roma as he sighed "I'm glad she found you." Antonio maintained his stern look and headed out the door. "We can play happy family when we get her back."

(-)

"Lay down."

Lovina's bottom lip quivered as she did what she was told. Sadiq smirked and kneeled in front of her. She flinched when his hand touched her cheek. "Roma's little girl…you're not Bella, but you'll do." Lovina fought back the urge to punch him in the face. "The Spaniard had you first, but you're mine now Lovi."

Her eyes narrowed as she held back tears. "Don't you dare call me that" she hissed. Sadiq let out an amused chuckle as he kept her pinned down. "You still don't know your place, do you?" Lovina snapped her mouth shut and looked away. She gritted her teeth together and held her tongue when she felt his hand over graze her side.

Sadiq snickered and pressed his lips. He pulled away, angry, when he heard her whimper. "Shut up!" he growled as he pressed her shoulders into the floor. Her heart stopped when his hand moved down and pressed on her stomach. "There will be consequences…"

Lovina quickly grabbed his collar and pulled him closer. "I'm sorry!" she pleaded desperately.

"You learn quick Lovi" he cackled before forcing himself on top of her. Lovina shuddered as she let him kiss her. It was disgusting. She only thought of how much she missed Antonio and the way he treated her. He held her gently, not tossed her around like a lifeless doll. She tried to simply remain still and bear the burden.

Sadiq sat up momentarily and smirked. "Try to enjoy this as much as I will."

**I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M A TERRIBLE PERSON I KNOW. DON'T HATE ME.**


	34. Chapter 34

Lovina refused to cry. She held everything in as she lay on the floor, tired and completely worn down. it had been five days. Five days of barely anything to eat or drink. Five days of being used and left behind until "needed". Lovina bit her lip as she slowly rubbed her stomach.

"Per favore, per favore" she quietly prayed as she tried to feel something, some kind of indication her baby was still with her. Lovina smiled when she felt a tiny flutter resonate through her torso. She finally let tears stream down her cheeks. "Grazie a dio" she whispered before trying to rest again.

Her sleep was cut short by the click of the lock. Lovina quickly wiped her tears, though she only wanted to cry more. Sadiq entered with that disgusting smirk on his face and bent over her. "Hello Lovina." He quickly squatted closer and roughly held her cheek in his hand. "I missed you."

Lovina glanced up at him weakly. "Please, can I have something to eat…or drink?" she quietly pleaded. Sadiq laughed and stood. "I must say, it's really refreshing to hear you beg Lovi. But tell me, what have you done to deserve such a luxury?"

_I've been your damn toy for almost a week now_ she wanted to holler. Lovina swallowed before parting her lips. "You can't have me if I'm dead." Sadiq threw his head back and laughed more.

"This is true. Alright, fine." He reached into his bag and pulled out a chunk of bread. Lovina slowly sat up and reached for the food. But he smirked and quickly pulled it away.

"But I think I'll make you work for it."

(-)

Antonio paced nervously in front of Roma, Feli, and his friends. "You're sure you gave us all the locations?"

Roma nodded and stared at his hands. "Every place they've ever stayed; abandoned shops, private property, everything." Feliciano bit his lip and looked away. He desperately wanted his sister back.

Everyone who had come together to find her had been staying at Roderich's home. He said it was the least he could do, and tried to help in any way he could.

There was a soft knock on the door. Soon Ludwig entered, and had Feliciano's arms wrapped around him in seconds. He patted the Italian's back and sighed. "I'm so sorry Feli. But I'm here to help," Feliciano pulled away enough to look up at him.

"R-Really?" Ludwig gave him a small smile and nodded. "Of course. She's your sister, so her safety is important to me.

"Gracias Ludwig" Antonio said softly. Ludwig gave him a short nod before sitting down. Antonio too slumped down in a chair. Everyone was exhausted. No one had really slept since she was taken.

Antonio sighed and rubbed his eyes with his palms. "Now, we check every inch of land in between. We split up and spread out. Is that reasonable?" Everyone nodded before standing up and heading out.

Elizaveta watched helplessly as they all left, but grabbed Gilbert's arm before he went out the door. "Please be careful. And bring her back" she pleaded softly. She had tried to join the others from the start, but Gilbert refused to let her put herself at risk.

He gently pulled her closer and rested his chin on the top of her head. "Don't worry, we will find her. I promise." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and lifted her chin. "Ich liebe dich Lizzie."

Antonio watched his friend with envy. God, what he wouldn't give to hold Lovi. "Gilbert!" he called bitterly. Gilbert released Elizaveta and turned back to Antonio guiltily. "Sorry" he replied softly as he mounted his horse. Antonio just nodded and sped off.

(-)

Antonio headed closer to town, Roma and Feli headed south, Francis east, and Ludwig west. Gilbert, however, decided to go back to where she had first been captured. He surveyed the area, but found nothing.

"Verdammit" he hissed as he glared at the ground. His eyes widened when he noticed a line of small drops of blood. N-No it was a trail. Gilbert quickly followed, soon taken to where they had looked the night she was taken. The trail seemed to stop completely. After looking around, Gilbert managed to pick up the trail again after making a sharp left.

"How could we have been so careless!" he growled as he continued on.

He rode for what felt like miles. He was ready to turn back and give up on this lead. He was already late for the designated meeting time. He glanced back as he turned and barely caught a small structure tucked behind some trees. His heart stopped as he came closer.

(-)

Lovina couldn't sleep. That's how she passed the time; sleeping. Her mind wouldn't stop racing even though her body was completely exhausted. She could barely move or speak. Now everything came out as a hoarse whisper.

She sighed when she heard the door rattle. It had been less than an hour since Sadiq had finished up and left. "Hello, is there anyone here?!"

Lovina's eyes flew open when she heard the familiar voice. "Gil!" she croaked. She heard more knocking as she tried to sit up. "Can anyone hear me?!"

"Gil! Please!" she squeaked. She shook her head and felt tears run down her cheek when she heard his hand leave the knob. Lovina searched around and noticed a nearby chair. She dragged herself to it and tipped it over, creating a loud enough crash. Her heart leaped for joy when she heard Gil come back. "Hello?!"

Using any strength she had left, Lovina rattled the chair around, making as much noise as possible. "I'm coming in!" Gilbert shouted from outside. He swiftly kicked the door in and froze when his eyes found the broken girl in front of him.

"I think this s the first time I've been happy to see you barrel through the door." Gilbert staggered forward, eyes wide and fearful.

"Mein Gott…" he whimpered as he kneeled beside her. "Lovi, what did he do to you?!" she let out a soft dry laugh. "What didn't he do to me?" Gilbert gently held her up when he saw her eyes droop. "Lovi, I need you to stay with me."

She nodded and let him hold her closer. She weakly pulled him into an embrace and cried. He wasn't Antonio, but she was convinced god himself had sent him. "G-Gilbert?" Gilbert pulled away and wiped away her tears. "What is it Mädchen?"

Lovina cleared her throat. "Do you have any water?" she croaked. Gilbert's eyes widened as he scrambled to find his small flask of water. "Of course" he replied as he opened t and carefully brought it to her lips. "Slowly Lovi, slowly" he instructed as he poured the liquid down her throat. She let out a short satisfied sigh before turning to him again.

"Grazie." Her bottom lip quivered as she nodded. "Grazie, grazie" she repeated over and over again as she sobbed into his shoulder. He rubbed her back and held back his own tears.

"Shhh, it's alright now. Let's get you home. Toni's waiting for you."

**Can we get 3 billion cheers for Gil?!**


	35. Chapter 35

Antonio nervously ran his hands through his hair as he sat down next to Feliciano. Everyone was back, like they had promised, except for Gilbert. Roma's knee bounced nervously and Feli couldn't sit still. Francis sat next to an anxious Elizaveta and Ludwig, staring off as they waited.

"Toni!"

Antonio jumped at the muffled yell coming from outside. He glanced at the others before bolting toward the door. He froze when he saw another figure strewn over Gilbert. Roma and Feli pushed past him, hollering in Italian. Gilbert gently handed Lovina off to Roma. He started to shake her and scream "destarsi" over and over again while Feli tried to calm him down.

Antonio dared to step closer. His eyes widened as he approached and got a good look at the limp girl in her grandfather's arms. "L-Lovi?"

"I'm going to get a doctor" Francis stammered before taking Gilbert's horse and hurrying away. "La mia bambina" Roma whimpered into the crook of her neck. Feliciano held his sister's hand and muttered in his native tongue.

Antonio stood back and stared. She looked like a corpse. Her face was uncharacteristically pale, there were dark circles under her eyes, and her chocolate colored hair was a tangled, lifeless mess. He turned his head when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Feliciano gave him a small, sad smile. "She's back Antonio" he assured the Spaniard softly. Antonio nodded and pulled Feli into a warm embrace. "Gracias a dios" he mumbled quietly.

Roma came closer and stared at Antonio while holding his granddaughter. He slowly eased her into his arms before turning away. "I'll be back" he mumbled before heading in the opposite direction.

"Roma wait." He quickly glanced back at Antonio, who was giving him a stern stare. "She needs you" he added quietly. Roma let out a low chuckle before turning back around. "No she doesn't. She has you and Feliciano. That's all she needs. That's all she ever needed."

Antonio glared as he started to walk away. "How can you say that?! She needed you the most when you weren't there. Now you have the chance to redeem yourself Roma!"

Roma sighed and picked up his pace. "I said I'd be back."

(-)

Antonio pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she lay out on the bed. His hand trembled when it softly met her chin and traced her jaw. "Still so beautiful" he murmured before letting his eyes wander down to her stomach. He slowly rested her hand over the bump/ He let out a sigh of relief before bending closer and pressing his lips to her forehead. When he looked back down, he noticed he had pulled her nightgown up a bit, revealing a dark bruise on her thigh.

Antonio's eyes widened as he inspected further, finding more bruises lining her legs and hips. He stumbled back, horrified. But his horror soon turned to rage. He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him and flying down the stairs. Gilbert turned and caught him, taken aback by his menacing glare. "Let me go" Antonio hissed. Gilbert glanced at his brother, who nodded and stepped forward, firmly placing his hand on Antonio's shoulder. Antonio yanked his arm away, prompting the German brother's to hold back both of his arms. "I said let me go, damn it!"

Antonio struggled to free himself from the two men. Ludwig grunted as he tried to restrain him. "Please Antonio, you have to calm-"

"I'll kill him!" he hollered back. Gilbert winced and tightened his grip. "Antonio, I understand-"

"No you don't!" he cried, finally able to rip away. "What if it had been Lizzie, or Feli? What if he had laid his hands on them?! What would you two have done?!" Antonio directed all his attention to Gilbert.

"What did you see Gil?" Gilbert looked away uncomfortably, knowing there would be consequences if he answered. "It was disgusting" he muttered. And that was all Antonio needed.

"I'm not cruel enough to ask you to imagine Lizzie in a remotely similar situation" Antonio snapped. Gilbert gave him a defeated look before staring at the floor. "I'm sorry" he mumbled.

"That's what I thought" Antonio hissed before marching toward the door.

"What would she say Tonio?" Antonio froze when he heard Feliciano's meek voice. "This isn't the person she fell in love with, this isn't you. What if she wakes up and you're gone?" he added softly. Antonio clenched his fists before letting his knees buckle and crumbling to the floor.

"He deserves to die" he whimpered through gritted teeth. Antonio cringed when he heard Elizaveta sigh behind him. "I know Tonio. but not like this."

(-)

"She's very weak. She needs to wake up soon so we can help her become strong again." Dr. Yao stepped back and sighed at his patient. Even he was shaken by her situation. "My brother Kiku will be staying so he can help as soon as she's up."

Antonio nodded and stepped forward. "What about the baby?" he asked anxiously. Antonio's heart sank when the doctor hesitated.

"I don't know" he admitted. "Forced penetration can be harmful, and days without food or water is dangerous for anyone, pregnant or not."Dr. Yao looked away from Antonio guiltily.

"I wish I could say more, but I'm not one to sugarcoat things. It all depends on how much her body can take and how fast we're able to aid her recovery."

Antonio nodded and followed Yao out the door. "Thank you for everything doctor."

"I wish you the best of look" he said before leaving. Antonio turned and saw Roderich standing by awkwardly.

"So how is she?" he asked softly. Antonio looked away and held back his tears. "We're still not sure" he answered hesitantly. Roderich let out a quiet 'oh' and stepped forward. "Would you mind if I saw her?"

Antonio shook his head and sat down. "Why do you think you even have to ask, Roderich?" The Austrian nodded and headed upstairs.

(-)

Lovina tried to pick her head up, to no avail. Hell, she couldn't even open her eyes. Her mind was awake, but her body wouldn't cooperate. No matter how hard she tried, her limbs were too tired to move and she couldn't seem to find the strength to simply twitch her fingers.

She heard the door open and softly close. Only then did she realize she was safe, in a warm bed. She could sense someone was watching over her, and her suspicions were confirmed when she heard the light scraping of a chair across the wooden floor. Lovina heard someone sigh next to her and push some hair out of her face.

"I'm so sorry Lovina."

Roderich? Lovina felt his hand gently sweep across her cheek. "Recently, I've wondered what life would've been like had I taken you in. We're very similar you know. We both aren't very comfortable around others, and we both have our reasons. I think you're the only one who can sympathize with me. I don't mean to come off as cold. And I've always felt as though you've seen that in me."

Lovina didn't know how she was supposed to react. Of course, he assumed she couldn't hear, and she figured he'd never really say these things to her.

"But you're Antonio's now. Which is fine with me, as long as you're safe" he murmured. Roderich rose and took one last look at her before softly kissing her cheek.

"Please come back soon Lovi."

**Destarsi=wake up, la mia bambina=my little girl, gracias a dios=thank god**


	36. Chapter 36

Everyone came in and out of Lovina's room to sit beside her or check on her. She was really grateful to be surrounded by so many people who wanted the best for her. Feliciano would come in and chat with her in Italian, Francis would wish her well, and Elizaveta and Gilbert always kept her updated. Sometimes Ludwig even came in with Feli. Lovina felt guilty when they came though. She couldn't sit up and tell them that everything was fine or that they didn't need to worry. She could only lie there silently and rest.

The one who spent the most time with her was Antonio. He'd never say anything, just sit and hold onto her hand. She was dying to hear him speak again. Almost a week without hearing his voice was too much.

One afternoon, she heard the door open and close loudly and immediately knew who had entered. "Hello Mädchen!"

Lovina wished she could groan and roll her eyes. She heard Gilbert pull up a chair and sit down. "Listen Mädchen; I know you're going to wake up. Ja, any time now you will be up and snarkier than ever, this I know for a fact." She heard him sigh as the floorboards creaked a bit. "Here's the thing; I wish you'd hurry up and do it already. I'm not going to lie; all this waiting is getting kind of annoying."

Lovina wished she could punch him in the face.

"You know what I think? I think you're just waiting for the perfect moment to pop up and outshine me. Not awesome Lovi."

In all honesty, Lovina found Gilbert's ramblings refreshing. She was a bit sick of everyone just feeling sorry for her. He continued to speak, noting how Francis did this, Ludwig did that, and how 'Toni is acting like such a girl'. Lovina tuned him out a bit, wondering when she'd see her grandfather again. Not that she cared or anything…

"Well I should be going. Quit being so obnoxious, ok?" _You're one to talk _she thought as he walked out.

(-)

Lovina was hit with an agonizing pain in her abdomen.

Feli was seated beside her when it crashed over her. She wanted to scream, writhe, do something. But she had to settle for grunting and subtle twitching.

"Sorella?"

Lovina felt her brother lightly nudge her shoulders as the pain continued. She heard a gasp and a thud, followed by a pair of feet scrambling against the floor toward the door.

"SOMEBODY GET KIKU RIGHT NOW!" he screeched. Lovina continued to wince as footsteps clamored into the room.

"What is it Felciano, what…" Lovina was scared and confused why was everyone so quiet? "Francis, what the hell is happening?!" Antonio's voice broke the silence as he ran up the stairs. Someone dashed out of the room.

"Antonio, don't come in. Please you have to trust me, mon ami."

"Francis, get out of my way, right now! What in God's name is going on in there?!"

Lovina's bottom lip quivered as the men fought. She felt Kiku rest his hand on her forehead then press lightly on her stomach.

"God damn it Francis, I sad MOVE!"

Lovina listened as one of the men fell to the ground and the other barreled through the door. "Oh my God, Lovi!" Antonio ran to her side and kneeled beside her. "Lovi, no, no, no, NO!"

Lovina felt warm drops hit her face. "Lovina, please stay with me!" Antonio's head fell onto her chest. "Lo siento" he sobbed over and over again while clutching her still limp body. Lovina gritted her teeth a bit as a second wave of pain came over her.

"Mr. Carriedo, please step back. You have to let me get closer" the Japanese man who had become her caretaker pleaded. Antonio stay planted by her side until Roderich and Francis had to come over. "Antonio, you have to move" Roderich begged.

The last thing Lovina remembered before passing out again was hearing Antonio screaming as he was being dragged away.

(-)

Lovina was finally able to open her eyes. She blinked a couple of times to adjust to the harsh light streaming through the window. When she could finally see, she saw her brother on the edge of the bed holding his head in his hands. Lovina smiled and slowly found the strength to raise her arm and tug on his sleeve.

Feliciano's head snapped up. He turned to face Lovina, wide-eyed, like he had seen a ghost. His hand trembled as he slowly reached out and cupped her cheek. His eyes filled with tears as he gave her the widest smile she had ever seen.

"I missed you so much sorella" He whimpered as Lovina held his other hand. Feliciano suppressed sobs and pressed his lips to her forehead. Lovina felt her brother's body shake against her when he pulled away. "Ti amo sorella" he whimpered and sniffled.

Lovina smiled and squeezed his hand. "Ti amo." Feliciano nodded as he rose and walked to the door.

"Antonio!"

(-)

Antonio stared off. His head drooped as he rubbed his forehead. He hadn't slept in days. Antonio let out a sigh and leaned forward. With his palms pressed to his forehead, he quietly cursed. He hadn't been able to even look at Lovina out of pure shame.

"Antonio!"

The Spaniards stomach dropped. What could possibly be left to go wrong? Antonio hesitantly picked up his head and looked up at Feliciano, who was leaning over the stairway. His eyes widened when he saw the grin plastered on Feli's face.

"Is she…"

Feliciano chuckled and nodded. Antonio bolted up the stairs. He stumbled past Feliciano into Lovina's room. Hs heart stopped when he saw sitting up and her smiling as she stared out the window. She looked like an angel from the way the sun hit her. Antonio gulped and let hot tears roll down his cheeks. "L-Lovi?"

Lovina's smile faltered as she turned. But it soon returned, even brighter when she saw him. She had waited so long to see him, to hear him speak. The way her name rolled off his tongue made her feel like she was melting into the bed. The only thing that would make this moment better would be his smile. The smile that greeted her when she first stumbled onto his door step. "Long time, no see, Carriedo." Her bottom lip quivered as he approached. For awhile, she had known she was safe. But his presence assured her that the nightmare was over.

She told herself she wasn't going to cry, but that was an empty promise. Antonio just stared at her as he kneeled next to her. He raised his hand hesitantly, as if he was afraid to touch her. What if she disappeared? What if she crumbed in front of him? Antonio's breath hitched when his fingers finally grazed her cheek. "My Lovi…" he whispered as his fingers traced her jaw and lips. He marveled at how beautiful she looked even though she had been dragged through hell and back. "Mi ángel perfecta …" Antonio muttered as he wiped a tear from her cheek.

Lovina was so glad to see life in his deep green eyes. She gently leaned into his touch and took his other hand in her own. The moment she had waiting for came. The corners of Antonio's mouth slowly tugged upward. Lovina nearly burst into tears when she saw his bright smile. He laced their fingers together and pressed his lips to her forehead. He quickly ran his lips over her eyes, cheeks, jaw, taking in every surface of her face. He paused and stared at her lips, letting her close the gap.

It was like the first time he kissed her, when he tried to tell her everything would be alright. Now everything was alright. They were reunited, grabbing at each other to make sure this all was real. Lovina silently vowed to never let him go, and he did the same for her.

Antonio erupted into sobs as he nuzzled his head into her chest. "Oh God Lovina, I thought I was going to lose you…" Lovina gently rubbed the back of his neck and kissed the top of his head. She smiled to herself as she took in his scent. "Shhh, Tonio, it's alright."

Lovina was so used to being the one comforted. It felt weird to be the strong one for once. "It's alright. I'm fine…we're fine Antonio."

Antonio slowly picked his head up and gave her an unreadable stare. Lovina tilted her head and cupped his jaw in her hands. "Tonio, what's wrong?" Antonio bit his lip and looked away.

"Lovina…while you were out, the baby…the baby didn't make it."

Lovina dropped her hands and reached for his. "N-No, there must be some mistake…here…" Antonio winced and avoided her gaze as she put his hand over her stomach. "Tonio, I felt it! J-Just wait, you'll feel it too." Lovina glanced down at his hand and moved it around with a small, encouraging smile on her face.

"Move for your Papi" she mumbled as she waited. Antonio lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. Lovina shrunk back a bit, not liking the dark look in his eyes. "Lovi, there's nothing there." Lovina shook her head, wide-eyed. "N-No, you're not listening to me Antonio. Y-You're wrong. Remember, we're having a perfect little boy, or-or another crazy Italian girl!"

Antonio couldn't hold back his sad, angry tears any longer. "No, we're not Lovina." Lovina took in a sharp gasp when it hit her. That wasn't a dream. The pain had been real, and now she knew what the source was. Lovina desperately grabbed his collar as her face scrunched up.

"Mi dispiace" she whispered. Antonio froze as she cried and shook her head. "Mi dispiace, mi dispiace, mi dispiace!" Antonio grabbed her hand. "Lovina stop."

Her breath only quickened as she felt the room spin around her. Lovina launched herself into his arms, burying her head into his chest. "Mi dispiace, mi dispiace tanto!" Antonio winced as he listened to her muffled cries.

Lovina continued to sob and heave into his shirt. "Antonio, please forgive me!" Antonio ripped her away with a menacing glare strewn across his face. He gripped her shoulders and breathed heavily. "Lovina stop this right now, this is not your fault!" Antonio clumsily tried to clear the tears running down her face. "I wasn't strong enough!" she wailed.

Antonio pulled her back into his embrace and sobbed into her shoulder. "No one would've been strong enough Lovi! Please, this has to stop." Lovina continued to mutter "mi dispiace" into him over and over again. Antonio rested his cheek on the top of her head as his whole body shook.

"Lovina, this is all my fault. Don't blame yourself." Lovina stopped stammering and pulled away to look at him. The distant and disturbed look in his eyes caused her to panic. "Antonio look at me" she ordered.

No response.

"Antonio, look at me right now" she pleaded.

Antonio continued to stare off.

"Antonio, don't shut down on me! I can't go through this alone! I need you!" Antonio slowly turned his head to her again. "Tonio, I won't let this come between us." She sniffled and gently stroked his cheek. "I won't lose you today too." Antonio nodded and held her tight. They both sat there quietly, mourning the beautiful thing they had created together.

**I'M A MONSTER.**


	37. Chapter 37

Roma Vargas was not a patient man. After continuous searching for over two days, He was unable to find the bastard that had taken his granddaughter. The man who had shamelessly revived years of family rivalry and distrust. Roma scowled as he visited the remnants of Antonio's home. His gaze softened as he sighed. This was Antonio _and _Lovina's home. It pained him to know that she had been happier with the Spaniard than she had ever been with him. She was her mother's daughter, a feisty spitfire of a young woman.

Roma chuckled and shook his head as he turned. She was something else, so unlike her brother. He sighed and closed his eyes. "I think I would like to see her through this hell. It's the least she deserves…"

(-)

"Francis, get the hell off me or I swear to God!"

Lovina rolled her eyes as the French man clutched her tighter. "But mon ange, I missed you so much! Who can resist that cute little pout you always wear?"

"How about you let go off me now, or else I bite your hands off bastardo?!" Francis chuckled nervously and backed off. "She's back alright…"

Gilbert laughed and slung an arm around Francis's shoulders. "What did I tell you Francis? Back and fierier than ever! And hey, maybe even a bit more awesome…" Lovina stared at the ground and hugged her knees to her chest.

"No, I'm not awesome…" Antonio watched her guiltily from the doorway. He was such a coward, he couldn't even hold her and tell her everything would be alright. He was convinced she secretly loathed him for not being able to save her in time.

And Lovina was scared out of her mind that he wouldn't want her because she had lost their child. It was an emotional dead-lock. And neither wanted to talk about it. Lovina gave Antonio an awkward glance and he shot an uneasy smile back.

"A-Antonio, why don't you come sit down?" Lovina's heart sank when he slowly shook his head. "N-no, that's alright. I think Elizaveta said she wanted to speak with you after awhile. I'll go get her."

"Oh…ok…" Lovina trailed off as he left. Francis and Gilbert shifted uncomfortably as she laid down. "Mädchen, you know he just doesn't know what to do. It's not you." Gilbert gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Lovina tried to swallow the lump in her throat and nodded unconvincingly. "I'm tired right now. I-I think I'll sleep" she responded softly. Gilbert and Francis slowly left to give her her space.

Lovina buried her head in the pillow. She hated how cold the bed felt without someone lying next to her. She was so used to having a warm arm draped across her and suddenly realized how much she missed it. Lovina gripped the sheets tighter and bit her lip. "Damn bastard" she mumbled before shutting her eyes.

(-)

"Toni, quit being such a dummkopf."

Antonio picked his head up and stared at Gilbert, annoyed. "Leave me alone Gil" he mumbled before pressing his palms to his forehead again. Francis groaned and plopped down beside him.

"It's really annoying to watch you. You're like a little boy who's still afraid of girls. Simply pathetic."

Antonio rolled his eyes and leaned back. "Would you want people all over you after you had just been completely violated? Did you ever think she might not want me near her? She probably can't stand me, I know I can't."

Francis shook his head and clicked his tongue. "Mon ami, how can you be so blind?" Francis paused to give Antonio a devilish grin. "I think she wants you. I think she really, really wants you."

Antonio grabbed Francis's collar and glared at him furiously. "Of all the disgusting, vile things that have come out of your mouth, this is the worst!" he snarled. Gilbert sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"The pervert is right" he sighed hesitantly. Antonio fixed his glare on Gilbert. "You've got to be kidding me Gilbert. After what you saw, I thought you'd be the last one to even think about her that way."

Gilbert rolled his eyes and shoved Francis off the couch and onto the floor to talk to Antonio. "Look, Francis got too…explicit. But she does want you. Do you know how unawesome it feels to think you're a failure? What do you think she thinks when you won't even look at her?"

Antonio turned away and ran his hand through his hair. "In case you haven't noticed mi amigo, she's the one who can't bear the sight of me."

"Mon dieu, You both are playing this infuriating game of 'I think the other hates my guts, let's avoid each other and leave things unresolved'. Make love and be done with it!" Francis groaned, still lying on the floor. Antonio frowned and kicked him in the stomach.

"You're not helping, burro."

"Excuse me, Antonio?"

Antonio looked up and saw Ludwig standing in front of Lovina's door with Feli happily clutching his arm. "We are going to try to have her stand. I think it would be best if you were there." Antonio nodded and stepped over Francis.

Feli, Ludwig, Elizaveta, Roderich, and Kiku were already there when he walked in. He smiled at Lovina when he saw her sitting up. She looked much healthier now that she had eaten and rested. He watched as Kiku looked her over like he did every day. Her bruises were less noticeable now, much to Antonio's relief.

Feliciano stood by his still sitting sister and smiled. "Come on sorella, don't worry! I know you can do it, you're the strongest person I know!" Lovina quickly looked over to Antonio. His smile faded when he saw the worried look in her eyes.

She shouldn't feel worried. She was safe; nothing was going to harm her. Antonio marched to her side. Nothing was going to make her worry anymore.

"Lovi, you don't have to be scared. Te amo."

Lovina's eyes widened as she nodded. Antonio gently grabbed her hands and helped pull her up. He smiled from ear to ear as she stood in front of him. "And you were so worried. See I knew you could do it" he teased. Lovina rolled her eyes then looked at her feet, concentrating as she cautiously stepped forward. "Oh shut up, bastardo" she mumbled as she found her balance.

Antonio chuckled and helped her move forward. Lovina yelped when she lost her footing and stumbled into him. Antonio quickly grabbed her waist and leaned her against him.

"Hey, hey, I've got you. No hay que preocuparse!" Antonio chuckled when he saw her blush. He realized how close he was holding her and smiled. "Lovi, have I told you that you look beautiful today?"

Lovina's face reddened even more as he pulled her closer. "I-I look like I've been lying in a bed for days. Which I have" she stammered. Antonio laughed and guided her back to the bed.

"You're still beautiful nonetheless" he chuckled as he eased her down. Feliciano cheered and sat by his sister. "You did it! I knew you could sorella." Lovina groaned a bit as Feli squeezed her. Elizaveta sat on her other side and embraced her as well. Antonio laughed while Lovina struggled between the two.

Roderich stayed back and chuckled at the poor girl. He smiled as she eventually gave in and let the two hold her, less than amused. The Austrian tilted his head and appreciated the frustrated girl in front of him. Her pout and furrowed brow never failed to make him smile.

Lovina's eyes widened when she caught him staring at her. Roderich cleared his throat a bit before beginning to leave, trying to hide the pink spreading across his cheeks.

"Roderich, wait!"

Lovina stared at him, making Roderich feel a bit uncomfortable as he turned to face her. Everyone else gave her puzzled looks. "We're very similar, you know" she said slowly.

Roderich only flinched slightly. She wasn't mocking him, or showing distaste. She was acknowledging him. He gave her a small smile before glancing away. "Yes, we are." He sighed before turning back around and going out the door.

"Thank you Lovina" he muttered as he smiled, a small smile gracing his lips.

**THIS CHAPTER DIDN'T END IN A HORRIFYING WAY, YOU'RE WELCOME.**

**Dummkopf-idiot**

**Mon dieu- my god**

**Burro-jackass**

**No hay que preocuparse- don't worry**


	38. Chapter 38

"Have you heard from nonno Feli?"

Lovina sat and ate with her brother. Feliciano frowned a bit and swallowed. "N-No, He hasn't been seen since you got back…"

Lovina rolled her eyes and leaned back against the pillow. "Stupid bastard" she grumbled as she scowled. She still hated him. But it would be nice to know that he was at least somewhat happy she was alive. Lovina sighed and looked at her brother. He smiled back and tried to cheer her up.

"He said he'd be back! I know he'll come soon!"

_Yeah, or leave us again. _Lovina smiled a bit when Antonio walked in. He pouted and crossed his arms. "Feliciano, you said I could eat lunch with her today!"

Feli smiled and chuckled. "Sorella was hungry! Plus, I'm her brother, so I have dibs!" Feliciano latched onto his sister and grinned. "Isn't that right sorella?"

Lovina glanced at him and nodded passively. "Whatever you say Feli."

Antonio tilted his head and frowned. "Lovi, are you alright?" She just stared off and nodded again. There was no way in hell she was going to admit she wanted to see her grandfather.

"What the hell?!"

Lovina, Feli, and Antonio jolted when they heard Roderich yell from downstairs. Antonio looked back at the siblings and frowned. "Wait here" he ordered before dashing out of the room.

Feliciano glanced nervously at his sister before following. Lovina scowled and crossed her arms. "Great, leave the girl who can barely stand guessing" she grumbled.

Feliciano gave a small yelp when he saw his grandfather leaning against Gilbert and Francis with a bloodstained shirt. He was about to run over, but was stopped by Ludwig's strong arm.

"Luddy, what's going on?" Ludwig sighed and embraced the Italian.

"I'm not sure Feli. Stay back for now. I promise you will see him soon." Feli nodded and buried his head in Ludwig's chest.

Roma heaved and gripped his side before coughing and lurching forward. Antonio stared at him wide-eyed and tried to help him stand. "Roma, what did you do?" he asked in a stern, concerned voice. Roma gave the young Spaniard a weak smile.

"I did something right for my Lovi. That bastard will never touch her again" he sputtered before losing his strength and going limp. Gilbert and Francis held onto him and gaped at the man. "I'm not so sure that blood is just his" Francis mumbled. Antonio stepped back and nodded. Roderich let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding in.

"He did what none of us could" he added. It took the four of them to drag the man upstairs, past Lovina's room.

She bolted out of bed when she saw her grandfather and stumbled to the door. Antonio saw her staggering behind and released his hold on Roma to stop Lovina. "What happened?!" she cried.

"He…took matters into his own hands. But you need to get back to bed. Everything's fine. You shouldn't be up." Lovina narrowed her eyes as he gripped her.

"Antonio, that's my grandfather. Get out of my way right now" she hissed. Antonio was a little taken aback. He had never seen her this menacing before.

He shook his head and tried to usher her back. "I can't do that. You need to stay out of the way." Lovina scowled and weakly attempted to push him to the side. "I'm not kidding. Move. Now."

Antonio frowned as he scooped her up. Lovina kicked and screamed as he placed her back on the bed. "Get off of me! He's my grandfather for god's sake! You can't do this!" she hollered. Antonio pinned her wrists down and tried to restrain her as he sat on the bed beside her.

"Lovina, you have to stop and calm down. You will see him soon enough! Just wait!"

"I can't wait! I'm not losing anyone else! You can't keep me from him, it's not fair!" Everyone seemed to suffer because of her and she'd be damned if another life was lost.

Antonio struggled to keep her down. "Lovina, enough! You'll only get in the way! We have a doctor, so stop being so stubborn!" She continued to try to escape his grasp to no avail. Antonio pressed her down harder when she wouldn't give up. "Damn it Lovina, I'm trying to help both him and you! Once we know what's going on, you can be with him, I promise! But right now you need to calm down!

Lovina was losing strength fast. This was a battle she clearly couldn't win. Today was not the day for him to try to be the noble one. Lovina became furious as he held her wrists tighter.

"I hate you!" she snapped.

Lovina instantly regretted her words as soon as they escaped her lips.

Antonio released her as his eyes widened. Lovina clamped her hand over her mouth and shook her head when she saw his pained expression. He stared at his hands now resting in his lap and let his head droop. "I'm sorry Lovina. I just want to do what's best for you." Lovina cringed when he uttered a dry laugh. "But I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I don't know what to do. I'm so sorry mi amor…"

Lovina quickly gripped his shoulders and tried to make him face her. "I didn't mean it, I swear. Antonio, please listen to me."

Antonio leaned forward and held his head in his hands. "What happened to us Lovi? Nothing is going right and I don't understand." He slowly looked up at her. He looked like a puppy that had been kicked too many times. Lovina truly noticed how much older he looked. The dark circles under his eyes and the weary, worn down expression haunted her vision. Even his golden skin looked pale and ashy. He looked like he had the life sucked out of him.

"I've never felt so helpless in my life. I couldn't save you or the baby, and now Roma…" Antonio rubbed his forehead and looked down. "I couldn't do anything." Antonio sighed and remained silent for a moment and gripped his chin, thinking.

"Lovina, maybe you should just stay with your brother for awhile" he said softly. "Roderich will look after you; I know he cares for you. I don't think you should be around me." Antonio dared to look at her. He flinched when he saw the horrified expression on her face.

"Antonio, I'm so sorry" she whimpered. Lovina lifted Antonio's chin and cupped his jaw. He stared back at her as she gently brushed her thumb across his cheek. "I've been so selfish. Please forgive me."

"What did I do wrong Lovi?" he softly cried. Lovina pulled his head to her chest and clung to him, rubbing his shoulders and pressing her cheek his crown. "You've done nothing wrong Tonio."

Antonio slowly placed his hand over hers and leaned into her touch. Lovina tilted her head gave him a sad smile. "You're not thinking clearly Antonio, and neither am I. When was the last time you slept? And don't even think of lying to me."

Antonio's guilty look gave her the answer she was hoping she wouldn't receive. Lovina sighed and gently rested his head in her lap and softly stroked his hair and cheeks. Antonio lifted his head to look at her.

"L-Lovi, you don't really…" Lovina shook her head and pushed him back down.

"I could never hate you. No matter what. Ti amo." She felt Antonio let out a sigh of relief.

"Te amo" he whimpered quietly. Lovina smiled and slowly ran her fingers through his hair. Antonio relaxed and closed his eyes while Lovina calmed him. Soon she started humming to herself before singing.

___A la puerta del cielo venden zapatos__  
__Para los angelitos que andan descalzos_

Antonio's eyes flew open. He definitely recognized the Spanish tune. How Lovina knew it, he had no idea.__

_Duermete niño__, duermete niño__  
__Duermete niño, arru, arru_

Antonio sat up when he heard her voice shake. Lovina gave him a sad smile as he stared at her. She continued to sing and stroke his jaw.__

_A los niños que duermen Dios benedice__  
__A las madres que velan Dios las asiste.__ ._

Antonio didn't take his eyes off of her for a second. Lovina stopped and gently kissed his forehead. "Dormirse" she whispered into his skin. Antonio pulled away to look at her.

"Lovi, how do you know that?" he asked quietly.

"You sang it to me the night we met" she responded. Antonio smiled a bit and held her hand. "There was a storm and I was scared. And you were there. You didn't know a thing about me. But you held me that night until I fell asleep. I was just a lost child who ended up on your doorstep then."

Antonio chuckled and leaned his forehead against hers. "Thank god you did." Lovina nodded and pushed him back down.

"Now rest. I want the real Tonio back. Not the man who doubts himself and sulks."

Antonio reached up and pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He gently pulled her face down and brought her lips to his. Lovina sat back up and pushed his hair out of his face after she kissed him. no matter how many times he kissed her, the feeling would never change. Lovina would always feel his warmth radiate through her body and the tingling sensation spread to her chest and make her heart flutter.

"We'll be alright Antonio. We'll see this through to the end. I know we'll come out of this stronger than ever."

**Yo, only 2 more chapters left. And they'll both be epilogue-ish chapters. I am going to try to make you cry for all the right reasons my friends. **

**P.S.- the song is an old Spanish lullaby. SHE SPOKE SPANISH FOR HIM GUYS IT'S TRUE LOVE**

**P.P.S- deleted quotes:**

"**Plus, Bros before hoes Antonio"**

"**My Doitsu powers will heal your wounds, Roma"**

"**RED, THE BLOOD OF ANGRY ROMAAAAAAA"**

**You're welcome**


	39. Chapter 39

**The first epilogue chapter! Enjoy!**

"Don't be nervous, that's his job."

Lovina nodded and gulped as she let Elizaveta fix her hair. Her stomach was in knots and she was anxious to get this all over with. It's not that she wasn't excited, but public appearances were not her forte. Elizaveta smiled and arranged her loose braid so that it fell down her back perfectly. "You look beautiful Lovina."

Lovina stepped back and hesitantly looked in the mirror to admire her ivory dress. It was simple in design and actually not too uncomfortable. The sweetheart neckline was connected to long, lace sleeves that sat low on her shoulders. The skirt flowed straight down off her hips in a flattering way and the scoop in the back allowed her to show some skin.

"La mia bambina…"

Lovina whipped her head around and saw her grandfather leaning on his cane in the doorway. He had seemed so weak in the past couple months. But today, he had more life in him than Lovina had seen in a long time. Roma smiled and slowly stepped forward.

"I still can't believe you're being taken away from me by that Spanish bastard."

Lovina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Be nice, nonno" she scolded. Roma chuckled and reached into his pocket. "Speaking of Spanish bastards, he asked me to have you wear this." Roma pulled the small cross and gold chain she had given Antonio out and placed it in her hand. "Something old" he mumbled as he cupped her cheek. Lovina smiled a bit as she placed it around her neck.

"Something borrowed" Elizaveta added as she placed one of her flower pins in Lovina's hair. She gently secured the veil into place and placed the tulle in front of Lovina's face. "And finally, something blue" Elizaveta finished as she handed Lovina her bouquet of forget-me-nots.

Lovina bit her lip and stared at Elizaveta guiltily. "I don't think I can do this…" she whimpered. Roma smiled and placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's never too late bambina, you can still back out now!" Elizaveta groaned and pushed him aside. "Of course you can do this Lovi, everything will be fine!"

Lovina shook her head. "I did something stupid Lizzie…" she mumbled. Elizaveta stepped back and eyed her suspiciously. "What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly. Lovina looked away and pouted.

"I saw him…"

Elizaveta and Roma gave her a puzzled look. "'Saw him'?"

"It's bad luck!" she whined. Elizaveta narrowed her eyes. "He was supposed to be with Gilbert and Francis…"

Lovina chuckled nervously and shrugged. "They got drunk…and hoisted him up…and then he crawled through the window…and passed out…"

Elizaveta groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Remind me to never let those three be in the same room alone. And to kick their asses."

(-)

Antonio was a nervous wreck.

Every two seconds he was adjusting his suit or tie or hair or even Gil and Francis. Feliciano just smiled beside him and told him it would be wonderful, but Antonio wasn't so sure. He had broken the cardinal rule, and felt pretty guilty about it. From what little he could remember, Lovi was really pissed. He hadn't gotten that good a look at her, so maybe t didn't count…

"Oi, Toni, you're acting like a sissy little girl. So un-awesome."

Gilbert smirked and gave him a playful smack on the back. "We triple checked everything, right Francis?" Francis nodded and leaned an elbow on Antonio's shoulder. "Oui. Plus, we had our fun last night, so you're all ready, mon ami."

Antonio nodded and let out a nervous breath. He looked around at the inside of the church. A small ceremony in the chapel that Lovina and her brother loved so much. Antonio's heart raced when he saw Elizaveta peek around the corner from the front of the aisle. She nervously motioned for Feliciano to come. Antonio's stomach dropped. This can't be good…

Feliciano rushed over. Lovina and Roma stood anxiously when Feli reached them. "What's wrong sorella? Dio Mio, you look like a principessa! You should be going by now, why are you waiting? You-"

Lovina quickly gripped and squeezed her brother's hand. "Feli, will you walk with me?" she asked nervously. Feliciano went silent before flashing her a huge grin and nodding. "Of course sorella!"

Lovina let out a sigh of relief before embracing her brother. He pulled away and gave her a nervous look. "But we better start soon. Antonio looks like he's about to throw up…"

Lovina rolled her eyes and tugged him and Roma forward. "Che idiota" she muttered under her breath before signaling to Elizaveta.

Antonio jumped a bit when he heard the violin and cello sound. Elizaveta smiled and mouthed 'don't worry' to the poor groom. Antonio nodded and turned to face Lovi and her family approaching. He couldn't even see her face, but he already knew she looked gorgeous. He smirked a bit when she saw how tightly she was gripping her brother's hand. She paused in front of the alter to hug Feli and Roma, both of whom had to be pried off of her. Antonio extended his hand out to hers as she neared the alter. Lovina turned to hand Elizaveta her bouquet before going standing in front of Antonio. Francis and Gilbert smirked as she stumbled toward him, almost falling over. But Antonio caught her and held her upright before lifting her veil.

It was like seeing her for the first time. She practically glowed. Antonio tilted his head when he saw the flustered look on her face. "What's wrong mi amor?" he asked as he lifted her chin.

"E-Everyone's watching me" she whispered. Antonio chuckled and held her hands, gently stroking her knuckles. "They can't take their eyes off of you, Lovi."

Lovina blushed and stared at the ground, but not without letting a tiny smile grace her lips. "Quit staring at me bastard" she mumbled as she glanced up at him. Antonio smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I couldn't even if I tried."

(-)

"Evviva gli sposi!"

The whole room cheered as Lovina walked beside her husband down the clearing to the wedding party. Antonio laughed and kissed his wife, evoking more cheers. Roma pouted when he heard the small band play a Spanish tune (this was an Italian wedding, God damn it!).

Antonio smirked as he held her hand and placed another on the small of her back. Everyone watched as the happy couple swayed with the music.

"So, señora Carriedo, what will you do now that you have married the most handsome and wonderful man in the world?" Lovina rolled her eyes and snickered. "Teach him some manners, most likely" she retorted. Antonio chuckled and leaned forward to press his lips to her ear.

"I'd like to see you try" he responded in a sing song voice as his hand moved lower down her back. Lovina cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head. "Keep this up and you won't" she shot back in the same voice. Antonio laughed and pressed his lips to hers. He pulled away when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Roma roughly shoved him aside and took his place.

"My poor bambina, forced to dance with that bastard" he hummed sympathetically. Lovina rolled her eyes and danced with her grandfather. Feli soon cut in before the song finally ended and it was time for speeches. Oh god, the speeches.

(-)

"And that is why you don't ask Lovi about her sex life! Her reaction was not awesome!" Gilbert beamed at the couple. Lovina slammed her head onto the table to hide her blush. He flashed her a triumphant smile, proud of his eloquence.

"Sit your ass down before I glue it to your face" she hissed. Antonio laughed and filled her glass with wine. "You look like you could use this" he chuckled. Lovina nodded and downed the whole glass in one sip.

"Ah, mon ange Lovina. Fantasizing about her dear Spaniard from the start."

Lovina spit out the whole glass. "I DID NOT!" she hollered. Francis laughed and smirked. "There is no use denying it Lovina. How hard it must have been to yearn for his touch-"

"I have heard enough!" Roma shouted. For once Lovina agreed with him. Francis sighed and shrugged before sitting back down. Antonio leaned back and rubbed his temples as he let out an exasperated sigh. Thank God Elizaveta was next. Someone normal would be nice.

"Lovi, you were like a little sister. Of course I love Feli too, but I could only put him in dresses for so long. I know you will be happy and I wish you both the best!" Antonio smiled and draped an arm over the back of Lovina's chair. Surprisingly enough, Roderich said a few words.

"Lovina, you are quite unlike anyone I've ever met. I admire your…perseverance and determination. I hope you have a lifetime of happiness…and you as well Antonio." Everyone hesitantly clapped as a blubbering Feliciano stepped forward. Lovi swore she heard his potato bastard sigh as her brother whimpered.

"Sorella!" he wailed. Lovina rolled her eyes and stood up to comfort him. Feliciano threw himself onto her, almost sending both of them toppling to the ground. Ludwig stood and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Please don't cry Feli" he softly pleaded. Feliciano pulled away and nodded before smiling. "Right, this is a happy day, isn't it sorella?" Lovina gave him a small smile. "Yes it is, idiota."

"For some" Roma grumbled before taking his turn. "My little Lovi. All grown up and so beautiful." Antonio beamed and pulled her closer as she sat back down beside him. "I know I haven't been there for you. And nothing will ever make up for that. But I love you with all my heart. And if that means I have to put up with this stronzo, so be it."

Roma smiled and raised his glass, never taking his eyes off of Lovina. "Evviva gli sposi!" He hollered. The guests cheered in response. Feliciano handed his grandfather a large glass vase. Roma held it over his head and looked out at the guests. "May God bless them with many years of happiness!" he yelled before letting the glass shatter on the floor in front of him. Feliciano leapt forward and counted the pieces.

"Dio mio sorella, there must be more than fifty!" Lovina smiled and planted a kiss on Antonio's lips. "You're stuck with me for over fifty years, Carriedo." Antonio smirked and kissed back much more…affectionately. "I'll manage somehow" he snickered as he pulled away. "But now, it's time for my favorite part."

(-)

"I can't believe I agreed to this" Lovina grumbled as she sat down in a chair in front of everyone. Roma pouted and turned away as Antonio kneeled beside her.

"It will be fun mi amor, I promise" he cooed before pulling up his blindfold. Lovina scowled and blushed as he poked his head under her gown. Drunken Gilbert and Francis whooping did not help in the slightest. Lovina tried to sit still when she felt his hair tickle her legs. She jumped and yelped when Antonio started kissing her thigh. She not so gently kicked him and crossed her arms.

"Tonio!"

Lovina rolled her eyes when she heard him chuckle. "Right, wait until tonight. Lo siento Lovi." Roma groaned and held his head in his hands. "Corneo bastardo spagnolo" he grumbled. Antonio soon popped back up with the garter between his teeth. He grinned and kissed Lovina's cheek before flinging it out to a group of men. Gilbert dove for it and held it up victoriously while screeching "I'm awesome!" Francis tried to snatch it away, but was soon distracted by Arthur, who was drinking in the corner. He winked to Lovina before stalking over to him.

Lovina shuddered before facing Antonio and placing her hands on her hips. "Not funny, bastardo" she hissed. Antonio laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist. Lovina blushed as he less than innocently pressed his lips to hers. "Can you blame me, Lovi?"

Lovina rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "Sh-shut up, stupid bastard" she grumbled. Antonio chuckled and held her hand. "Lovi, you're so cute when you're embarrassed."

"I am not cute! And I'm not embarrassed either!" she snapped. Lovina felt a heavy arm around her shoulder.

"Fighting already? It's only been a few hours! Not awesome…" Gilbert scolded, slurring his words. "Hey, I think I'll ask Lizzie to dance. How awesome would that be?!"

Lovina glared and brushed him away. "Yeah whatever. But keep your hands to yourself, idiota" she hissed. Gilbert laughed and backed away. "Whatever you say, Frau Carriedo!"

Antonio rested his hand on her waist and pushed her forward. "Time for pastel, Lovi!" Lovina nodded and stood next to her brother who continually eyed the desert. She smirked and waved the knife in front of him. "Quit drooling Feli."

Feliciano nodded and smiled as Antonio placed his hand over hers and cut the cake. Lovina looked back at her brother and smiled cheekily. "Hey Lovi!"

Lovina whipped her head around and was met by a handful of icing. Antonio chuckled as she wiped her face. Lovina let out a dark chuckle and glared at him. "Oh, you are going to regret that, bastard" she snarled. Before he could react, she grabbed a slice and smashed it into his face. Lovina let out a triumphant laugh before being cut off by Antonio's lips. He smirked and kissed her, effectively transferring half of the mess on his face back to her

"Why don't we wrap things up and go home?" He whispered, letting his lips still graze hers. Lovina slowly nodded. Antonio smiled and dragged her behind him, leaving everyone else behind.

"Antonio, we can't just leave!"

Antonio laughed and brought her outside. "Of course we can! It's our day! We can do whatever we want!"

Lovina smirked and turned away. "Well then what are we waiting for? Let's go home."

(-)

"Now put me down" Lovina ordered. Antonio chuckled and obeyed, gently letting her feet hit the floor. He insisted on carrying her up the stairs of their rebuilt home. She stepped back and tried to keep her face from turning red. Antonio glanced at her awkwardly before forcing a smile. "It's uh, been awhile, hasn't it?"

They hadn't done anything since Lovina had gotten back. She had been traumatized by the whole experience and wasn't very comfortable with herself for quite some time. She felt guilty about dragging Antonio down with her.

Lovina stared at the floor absent mindedly fiddled with her hands. "Sorry…"

Antonio shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Lovina, you have nothing to apologize for anything." He slowly moved his hands down and held hers, studying them like they held all the answers. "We don't have to do anything Lovi" he finally said before looking up at her. Lovina was a bit confused by the worried look in his eyes.

"You never have to do anything. You know that, right?" Lovina nodded and lightly kissed his bottom lip before nuzzling into his chest. "I want to, Tonio. I think I need this. I need to move past it" she murmured. Antonio smiled and brought her knuckles to his lips. "Whatever you wish, mi amor."

Lovina grinned and cupped his cheek. "Let's forget the past. We're starting over. Un nuovo inizio."

**ODNEFOWNAUVIWREJNYHVBGIOWDEFV THIS CHAPTER WAS BASICALLY ME POURING OUT ANY FEELS LEFT IN ME. Oh good lord, this was a doozy. I'm sitting her typing like I WILL ATONE FOR MY SINS. And I think I did. ONLY ONE CHAPTER LEFT. I'm kinda sad it's ending. But oh the spamano fics I wish to create…**

**Principessa-princess (DAAAWWWW)**

**Che idiota- what an idiot**

**Evviva gli sposi- Italian phrase of congratulations to the couple**

**Breaking of the glass thingy is an Italian tradition. A very messy one at that. If you ever attend an Italian wedding, make sure you don't let an intoxicated bridesmaid count, because she just might cut herself…this actually happened to one of my friends…**

**Corneo bastardo spagnolo- horny Spanish bastard (Oh Roma)**

**Un nuovo inizio- a new beginning (DAAAWWWW)**


	40. Chapter 40

**LAST CHAPTER OH MY GOD**

Antonio shivered as he walked through the front door of his home. It was too cold, even for December. The Spaniard smoothed out his hair after removing his cap. He felt bad about coming home late, and he was sure Lovina would be upset.

"Ti amo."

Antonio smiled when he heard her voice carry through the halls

"Te amo! "

Antonio couldn't help but chuckle as he heard an exasperated groan. He quietly wandered through the house, not wanting to interfere.

"No, ti. _Ti_ amo. Not te. Try this; Buon Natale!"

A high pitched giggle came from the library. "Feliz Navidad!" the voice squeaked. Antonio crept in wordlessly and listened. He glanced over and saw the back of Lovina's head resting against the couch from where she was sitting.

"This isn't funny!" she whined. "What will Grandpa say when he hears you speak Spanish?"

Antonio smirked and stepped forward. "He'll say 'Antonio, you have cursed the Vargas name'."

Lovina whipped her head around and frowned. "Ha, Ha, Ha" she responded dryly. A small head with familiar looking green eyes popped up next to her and grinned. "Papacito!" the young boy exclaimed.

Antonio chuckled and walked forward. "Hola Romano. You're not giving mama a hard time, are you?" Romano chuckled nervously and shook his head.

"It's all your fault" Lovina scolded. "He refuses to speak Italian!" Romano stared at his mother and stood.

"No, I do know Italian!" Romano thought to himself for a moment before his eyes lit up. "Bastardo!" he recited proudly. Lovina gaped at him. She turned to Antonio, hoping for a similar reaction. But he just threw his head back and laughed. "I guess he did pick some up from you" he snorted.

Lovina quickly faced her son again and held his hands. "You can't say that word, Romano. Do you understand?" Romano tilted his head and pouted. "But you say it!" he said accusingly.

"Mama does a lot of things she shouldn't do" Antonio replied, mostly to her. Lovina rolled her eyes and stood up before crossing her arms. "You're late" she snapped.

Antonio rubbed the back of his neck and stepped closer. "Yes, well you see, Francis and Gil-"

"When can we visit tío Francis and tío Gilbert?!" Romano asked eagerly. Lovina pouted and picked the toddler up. "First of all, it's _zio_ Francis and _zio _Gilbert. Second, I don't know which is worse; Gilbert teaching him to fight or you teaching him extra Spanish" she said to Antonio.

Antonio put a mock expression of pain across his face and clutched his chest. "Lovi, how could you accuse me of such a thing?" he whimpered before winking at Romano. The boy giggled as Lovina frowned.

"Don't look at me like that Lovi" Antonio cooed. He gently cupped her cheek and smiled. "I promise I won't be late again" he said before pressing his lips to hers. Romano squirmed out of Lovina's arms and winced.

"Ew" he grimaced. Antonio pulled away and smirked before scooping the boy up. "I thought you liked kisses, Romano!"

The boy crinkled his nose and shook his head. Antonio chuckled and lifted his son's shirt, pressing his lips against his stomach and blowing onto his skin. Lovina rolled her eyes at his immaturity. "Which one of you is the child?" she scolded. Antonio grinned and set Romano down.

"Aw come on Lovi, we're just having fun" he responded before wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her cheek. Lovina tried to hide her smile as she pushed his face away. "Remind me again why I put up with you?"

Antonio spoke and leaned into her ear. "I'd tell you but, there is a child present mi amor" he whispered. Lovina was saved from embarrassment by Romano tugging on her skirt. He was blushing by the time she bent down closer. He grabbed her face and muttered something into her ear.

It looks like Romano wasn't her savior after all.

She smiled a bit and cocked her eyebrow as she stood upright. "You tell him" she responded. Antonio gave her a quizzical stare before kneeling in front of Romano. "Tell me what, chico?" he asked hesitantly. Romano glanced back at his mother who chuckled and blushed. "Tell papa what you want for Natale this year" she prompted. Romano nodded and looked at his father.

"I want to be a hermano mayor" he said quietly. Lovina groaned and rubbed her forehead. "It's fratello maggiore" she mumbled. Antonio blinked and looked at Lovina and then back at Romano. "Well it's a bit too short notice…" he started as he stood. Antonio soon let a mischievous grin spread across his face after wrapping his arm around Lovina's waist and pulling her closer. "But I'm sure if mama and papa try really hard…" Antonio smirked and let his lips brush her cheek. "Really, really hard" he added quietly. "I'm sure you'll be the best hermano mayor by next year!"

Lovina's face turned bright red as Romano cheered. Antonio gave her a sly glance before taking his son's hand. "I think it's time for a nap, Romano" he cooed. Lovina trudged behind the two grumpily.

'Wait for me' Antonio mouthed as Romano pulled his father into his room. Lovina smirked and rolled her eyes before heading into her room across the hall.

She slowly sat on the bed and ran her hand through her hair. Another? She loved her son with all her heart, but she wasn't sure she was ready for number two. She rested her elbows on her knees and leaned forward. Antonio quietly walked in and closed the door gently behind him. He smirked and stepped forward with his hands clasped behind his back. "Now Lovi, you know I only wish to give Romano everything his little heart desires" he chuckled as he waggled his eyebrows.

Lovina crossed her arms and pouted. "Whatever you say stronzo" she mumbled. Antonio laughed and flashed her a cheesy grin. "You should teach him that one, Lovi!"

Lovina lightly punched his arm and glared. Antonio grabbed her hand and pulled her against him, making her lips meet his. Lovina gave in and wrapped her arms around her neck as Antonio pushed the small of her back closer to him. Antonio let out a low chuckle as he pressed his lips into her neck and jaw. Lovina let out a small gasp before gently pushing him away.

"Tonio…" she warned. Antonio cupped her cheeks and shook his head. "He's asleep, mi amor. Don't worry" he mumbled before kissing her again. Lovina let him usher her onto their bed and pull her onto his lap. She gradually leaned back until she was lying down, with him practically on top of her. Antonio let out a soft moan when she wove her fingers into his hair. No one made him feel the way she did. No one had ever been as satisfying and she was and no one else had ever left him this breathless.

"What are you doing?"

Antonio and Lovina's eyes flew open as they broke away. Romano stood in the doorway with his head tilted, giving them both a puzzled expression. "Romano, y-you're supposed to be taking a nap" Antonio stammered. Romano shrugged and rubbed his eyes.

"I couldn't fall asleep" he responded groggily.

"You obviously weren't trying that hard" Antonio mumbled to himself as he sat up. Romano blinked, still waiting for an answer.

"Romano, run!" Lovina squeaked. Both the Carriedo boys gave her a confused look. She put a shocked expression on and stared at Antonio. "Papa turned into the solleticare mostro!"

Romano's eyes widened as he looked back at Antonio. His father smirked, held up his hands like claws and growled. Romano froze and contemplated his next move. He nodded to himself before placing his hands on his hips and standing tall.

"I'll save you mama!" he declared before leaping forward and grabbing Lovina's hand. Antonio chuckled when he heard her cry "grazie Romano!" as they scurried out. He slowly rose and followed, pausing at the door and poking his head in.

Lovina held Romano in her arms and swayed. "You saved me bambino. Grazie" she murmured as she kissed the top of his head. Antonio beamed as he watched. He couldn't help but smile sheepishly as the corner of her lips curled up. She was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And seeing her hold his child made her even more beautiful. The way her deep brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun, how her eyes glowed with the sunlight that streamed through the window. Every little detail was still stunning to Antonio.

"Now, why couldn't you fall asleep bambino?"

Romano yawned and nuzzled closer to her, his matching hair mingling with hers. "Papa didn't sing" he mumbled into the fabric of her dress. Lovina clicked her tongue and shook her head. "How could he be so foolish?" she responded.

Antonio smiled and leaned against the doorframe, mesmerized by his family. He wanted to capture this moment and keep it forever. Antonio loved seeing his wife like this, so tender and sweet. It was a side of her he was afraid he'd lost, but his son brought it back to him.

As crazy as it sounds, Antonio envied his son. Romano changed her in a way no other soul on earth could have. In his opinion, Lovi had already been perfect. But sometimes, he wasn't sure everyone was able see how perfect and wonderful she truly was. Now, she seemed happier. The happiest he'd ever seen her. It's amazing how one person can change a life.

"If I sing, will you fall asleep, bambino?" she asked sweetly. Romano nodded and sighed, letting his small chest fall heavily. Lovina smiled and swayed as she pressed her cheek to his crown.

_Fa la ninna, fa la nanna_

_Nella braccia della mamma_

_Fa la ninna bel bambin,_

_Fa la nanna bel bambin,_

_Fa la ninna, fa la nanna_

_Nella braccia della mamma._

Romano snored lightly and smiled in his sleep. Antonio quietly walked in and stood behind Lovina as she placed her son in his bed. Antonio hugged her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, and silently watched him sleep.

"He's just like you" Lovina said softly, breaking the silence. "I'm glad he's not like me" she added under her breath. Antonio frowned and held her closer. "Why do you say that, mi amor?" he whispered. Lovina sighed and leaned her head against his. "I wouldn't want him feel the way I did when I was young. To be closed off and shy." Lovina chuckled humorlessly and looked away. "To be mean and rude" she added quietly.

"Mi amor, you are perfect" he mumbled into her cheek. "You had a reason to behave however you did. Everything you did, every reaction, every gesture had meaning. You were something I never was. Strong."

Antonio smiled when he heard her breath hitch. "I could never do all you've done. I would never have been able to bear the burdens you have. So believe me when I say you had every right to be closed off. You had every right to be unwilling to put up with anything but the best. My son is clever and loyal like his mother. He's loving and beautiful like his mother. And just like you, he wants to protect and hold close what he loves."

Antonio turned Lovina around when he heard her sniffle. He gave her a small smile before kissing her salty tears away. Lovina rested her head on his chest as he enveloped her in his arms.

"It's been seven years Antonio" she whispered. Antonio nodded and held her tighter. "I would have never thought the little boy begging for food on my front step would become my wife and the mother of my child."

He smiled as he felt her body shake against him when she chuckled. "Thank you Tonio."

Antonio glanced down at her and tilted his head. "For what?"

"For the life you've given me" she replied softly. Antonio lifted her chin and smiled. "You never have to thank me. Everything you have, you earned and deserve." Antonio gently kissed her lips before glancing at Romano again.

Antonio's family was perfect.

**Thanks to everyone who offered words of encouragement and praise. I like to think I improved as this fic came along. Even if I didn't, I am eternally grateful for your support. I'm sad it's ended, but overall proud of the fic I put out there. I will, of course, continue to write Spamano fics, in case you are wondering. None of those matter, however because of some little fic, aw geez what's it called…something 'mucho'…(Oh my lord, that spamano. I just can't. there are no words) But anyways, I *ahem* have other spamano fics *ahem*…nbd. It's been real, folks. So grazie, gracias, merci, and danke. Arrivederci!**_  
_**Buon Natale/Feliz Navidad: merry Christmas**

**Hermano mayor/fratello maggiore: big brother**

**solleticare mostro: tickle monster (So. Cute. )**


End file.
